Swell Intel

South Beach Surf Forecast, Florida - East Coast

Florida - East Coast

40th Street1-2ftHaulover1-2ftDania Beach Pier1-2ft
South Beach surf spot

Current Conditions

Poor - Fair
Wave Height
2-3ft
knee to waist high
Swell Period
4.9s
Wind
14mph
ENE / Gusts 18mph
Conditions
Poor - Fair
Active Swells
Primary
1.0ft @ 9sNE
Secondary
0.7ft @ 9sN
Wind Swell
3.6ft @ 5sENE

Nearest Webcam

Daily Forecast

3 of 5 days
Tue, Mar 312-3ft
Poor

A slow one — 2-3ft waves and poor conditions with strong ENE wind at 14mph.

6am9am12pm3pm
9s NE|14mph ENE
Wed, Apr 12-3ft
Poor

Skip the dawn patrol — 1-2ft and poor early on. Afternoon shapes up better with 2-3ft and poor - fair conditions.

6am9am12pm3pm
9s NE|14-15mph E
Thu, Apr 22-3ft
Poor

Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on NNE swell at 9s with 14mph E winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 20mph, bringing conditions down to poor.

6am9am12pm3pm
9s NE|14-20mph ESE
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Sat

Forecast Charts

South Beach Surf Spot Guide

Break
Beach
Bottom
Sand
Level
Beginner
Crowd
Heavy
Best Swell
E
Best Wind
W
Season
Fall

South Beach is a sheltered break at the southern tip of Miami Beach, where the South Pointe jetty at Government Cut provides some swell focusing and creates the most defined peaks in the area. Waves are often too small for anything beyond longboarding — by some estimates 95% of the time. When working, the water gets congested with swimmers, paddleboarders, and surfers on one of the most famous beaches in the world.

Heavy crowdsLocalismSwimmersJet skisStrong currents during swell

Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.

South Beach Surf Forecast FAQ

What is the current surf forecast for South Beach?
The current wave height at South Beach is 2-3ft with a 4.9s swell period. Wind is ENE at 14mph. Conditions are rated Poor - Fair.
How accurate is the South Beach surf forecast?
Our South 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.
What is the breaking wave height at South Beach?
The current breaking wave height at South Beach is 2-3ft, produced by a 1ft NE primary swell at 9s, a 0.7ft N secondary swell at 9s, a 3.6ft ENE wind swell swell at 5s. 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.
When is the best time to surf South Beach?
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf South Beach is Wednesday from 10 AM to 1 PM with 3ft waves, a 4.75s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.