Florida - East Coast
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Ponce Inlet, 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: 2–3ft, 7s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on NE swell at 7s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 17mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Sun, May 17: 3–4ft, 5s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on E swell at 9s with moderate SE wind around 8mph. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 15mph from the E and dropping conditions to poor.
Mon, May 18: 3–4ft, 5s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on ENE swell at 10s with light winds out of the ESE. The E wind kicks in by afternoon — 10mph and poor - fair by then.
Tue, May 19: 4–5ft, 6s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 4-5ft waves on E swell at 5s with light winds out of the E. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Wed, May 20: 3–4ft, 6s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 4-5ft waves on E swell at 8s with light ESE winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 10mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
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Ponce Inlet's north side features a legitimate right-hand wave peeling off the north jetty of the Ponce de Leon Inlet. It provides longer rides than the NSB side and can handle huge swells. Works at all tides but best at high tide when water gets over the outer bar. One of Florida's most consistently cranking spots, but expect aggressive localism and tense lineups.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Ponce Inlet is 2-3ft with a 6.6s swell period. Wind is ESE at 9mph and conditions are rated Poor - Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Ponce Inlet is 2-3ft, produced by a 2.3ft NNE primary swell at 6s, a 1ft E secondary swell at 8s, a 0.3ft ENE tertiary swell at 13s, a 1.3ft ESE 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 Ponce Inlet is Tuesday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 5ft waves, a 5.35s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Ponce Inlet works best with a SE swell and SW 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 Ponce Inlet. 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.
Ponce Inlet is a rivermouth with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Ponce Inlet's north side features a legitimate right-hand wave peeling off the north jetty of the Ponce de Leon Inlet. It provides longer rides than the NSB side and can handle huge swells. Works at all tides but best at high tide when water gets over the outer bar. One of Florida's most consistently cranking spots, but expect aggressive localism and tense lineups.
The prime season at Ponce Inlet 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 Ponce Inlet include localism, strong currents, jetty rocks, sharks, boat traffic. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Ponce Inlet 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.
