Florida - East Coast
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Palm Beach, Florida - East Coast. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Sat, May 16: 1–2ft, 4s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with calm winds. Expect the wind to bump up to around 13mph by PM.
Sun, May 17: 1–2ft, 5s period, rated Poor - Fair. Skip the dawn patrol — 1-2ft and poor early on. Afternoon shapes up better with 2-3ft and poor - fair conditions.
Mon, May 18: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on NE swell at 10s with 13mph E winds. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Tue, May 19: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Poor - Fair. Slim pickings today — 2-3ft and poor - fair with 11mph E winds.
Wed, May 20: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Poor - Fair. A slow one — 2-3ft waves and poor - fair conditions with 9mph from the ESE.
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The open beach breaks along Palm Beach between the jetties area and Lake Worth Pier are typical South Florida beach breaks — sand bottom, left and right peaks, generally small and mushy but occasionally producing lined-up walls on solid NE swells. A good area for longboarding and learning, less crowded than the nearby pier and inlet breaks.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Palm Beach is 1-2ft with a 4.2s swell period. Wind is ESE at 10mph and conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Palm Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 0.6ft NE primary swell at 7s, a 0.3ft NE secondary swell at 11s, a 0.2ft NE tertiary swell at 13s, a 1.7ft E wind swell swell at 4s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Palm Beach is Monday from 1 PM to 4 PM with 3ft waves, a 4.9s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Palm Beach works best with a E swell and W winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at Palm Beach. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
Palm Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. The open beach breaks along Palm Beach between the jetties area and Lake Worth Pier are typical South Florida beach breaks — sand bottom, left and right peaks, generally small and mushy but occasionally producing lined-up walls on solid NE swells. A good area for longboarding and learning, less crowded than the nearby pier and inlet breaks.
The prime season at Palm Beach is fall, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at Palm Beach include rip currents, jellyfish, boat traffic, crowds during peak swell, sharks. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Palm Beach forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable. Extended forecasts show general trends. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
