Maine
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Short Sands, Maine. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Sat, May 16: 5–6ft, 10s period, rated Poor - Fair. Hold off if you can — morning starts out poor - fair with 5-6ft waves. Afternoon shapes up better with 5-6ft and poor - fair conditions.
Sun, May 17: 2–3ft, 9s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on S swell at 6s with moderate WSW wind around 8mph. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 15mph from the W and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Mon, May 18: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with barely a breath of wind. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 11mph.
Tue, May 19: 1–2ft, 9s period, rated Poor. A slow one — 1-2ft waves and poor conditions with 7mph from the SW. Afternoon breeze fills in to 12mph.
Wed, May 20: 0–1ft, 8s period, rated Very Poor. A slow one — 0-1ft waves and very poor conditions with moderate WSW wind around 10mph.
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Short Sands is a sheltered crescent beach tucked into York, Maine, offering mellow, forgiving waves that make it one of the most approachable surf spots along the Maine coast. Facing northwest toward the open Atlantic through the Gulf of Maine, it picks up southeast and east swells that wrap into the bay, producing soft rolling waves ideal for learners and longboarders. The spot has a lively summer beach town atmosphere, but fall brings cleaner conditions, fewer crowds, and the pumping northeast swells that the Maine coastline is known for.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Short Sands is 5-6ft with a 10.1s swell period. Wind is WSW at 8mph 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 Short Sands is 5-6ft, produced by a 4.5ft ESE primary swell at 10s, a 0.9ft SW wind swell swell at 2s. 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 Short Sands is Saturday from 2 PM to 5 PM with 6ft waves, a 9.65s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Short Sands works best with a SE swell and NW 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 Short Sands. 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.
Short Sands is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Short Sands is a sheltered crescent beach tucked into York, Maine, offering mellow, forgiving waves that make it one of the most approachable surf spots along the Maine coast. Facing northwest toward the open Atlantic through the Gulf of Maine, it picks up southeast and east swells that wrap into the bay, producing soft rolling waves ideal for learners and longboarders. The spot has a lively summer beach town atmosphere, but fall brings cleaner conditions, fewer crowds, and the pumping northeast swells that the Maine coastline is known for.
The prime season at Short Sands 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 Short Sands include cold water, rip currents, rocky shoreline edges, seasonal crowds, lobster trap buoys. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Short Sands 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.
