Maine
Skip the dawn patrol — 1-2ft and very poor early on.
Skip the dawn patrol — 1-2ft and very poor early on.
Best window·Sunday 10AM–1PM·3-4+ft·Good
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.
Thu, Sep 3: 1–2ft, 5s period, rated Very Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on SSE swell at 4s with calm winds. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 7s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on ESE swell at 6s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 8mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 7s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on E swell at 6s with moderate NNE wind around 11mph. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 18mph from the NE and dropping conditions to very poor.
Sun, Sep 6: 3–4ft, 8s period, rated Good. Looking good out there — 3-4ft all day on NE swell at 6s with 15mph N winds.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3+ft, 10s period, rated Fair - Good. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3+ft waves on E swell at 10s and moderate NW wind around 9mph. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor today — get one free email when Short Sands turns Good.
Check Short Sands from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
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 1-2ft with a 4.6s swell period. Wind is ENE at 1mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Short Sands is 1-2ft, produced by a 2.6ft SE wind swell swell at 5s, a 1.3ft SE secondary swell at 9s. 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 Sunday from 10 AM to 1 PM with 4ft waves, a 6.8s swell period, and conditions rated Good. 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. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
