Florida - East Coast
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at South 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: 0–1ft, 7s period, rated Poor. Not the most exciting day — 1-2ft and poor conditions with barely a breath of wind. Expect the wind to bump up to around 12mph by PM.
Sun, May 17: 2–3ft, 4s period, rated Poor - Fair. A slow one — 2-3ft waves and poor - fair conditions with moderate E wind around 11mph.
Mon, May 18: 3–4ft, 5s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 3-4ft and mostly poor with 15mph out of the E.
Tue, May 19: 3–4ft, 5s period, rated Poor. Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 3-4ft with 14mph out of the E. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning.
Wed, May 20: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Poor - Fair. A slow one — 2-3ft waves and poor - fair conditions with 11mph ESE winds.
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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.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at South Beach is 1-2ft with a 6.85s swell period. Wind is NE at 5mph 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 South Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 0.7ft NNE primary swell at 5s, a 0.4ft NNE secondary swell at 7s, a 0.2ft NNE tertiary swell at 11s. 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 South Beach is Tuesday from 9 AM to 12 PM with 3ft waves, a 4.8s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
South 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 South 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.
South Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. 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.
The prime season at South 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 South Beach include heavy crowds, localism, swimmers, jet skis, strong currents during swell. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
