Swell Intel

St. James Surf Forecast, New Jersey

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New Jersey

South Carolina Ave1-2+ftStates Avenue2-3ftCrystals1-2+ft
St. James surf spot

Current Conditions

Poor
Wave Height
2-3ft
knee to waist high
Swell Period
6.75s
Wind
18mph
SSW / Gusts 31mph
Conditions
Poor
Active Swells
Primary
0.5ft @ 10sESE
Wind Swell
5.2ft @ 7sS

Nearby Webcams

Daily Forecast

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

A slow one — 2-3ft waves and poor conditions with strong SSW wind at 13mph.

6am9am12pm3pm
9s E|13mph SSW
Wed, Apr 12-3ft
Poor

Midday is the call — 2-3ft waves with strong SW wind at 13mph and poor - fair conditions. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning.

6am9am12pm3pm
7s SSE|13-15mph SW
Thu, Apr 21-2ft
Poor

A slow one — 1-2ft waves and poor conditions with 15mph NNE winds.

6am9am12pm3pm
6s SSE|12-15mph NNE
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Sat

Forecast Charts

St. James Surf Spot Guide

Break
Beach
Bottom
Sand
Level
Intermediate
Crowd
Moderate
Best Swell
S
Best Wind
N
Season
Fall

St. James is a beach break located near the southern end of Absecon Island where the New Jersey coastline curves to face more southward, giving it a unique swell window. The spot picks up S and SSE swells from tropical systems that the east-facing beaches further north miss, producing punchy peaks over shifting sandbars. Northerly winds blow offshore here, making it a good option when the standard NJ beach breaks are getting blown out by NE winds.

Rip currentsShifting sandbarsCrowds during summerCold water

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

St. James Surf Forecast FAQ

What is the current surf forecast for St. James?
The current wave height at St. James is 2-3ft with a 6.75s swell period. Wind is SSW at 18mph. Conditions are rated Poor.
How accurate is the St. James surf forecast?
Our St. James 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 St. James?
The current breaking wave height at St. James is 2-3ft, produced by a 0.5ft ESE primary swell at 10s, a 5.2ft S wind swell swell at 7s. 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 St. James?
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf St. James is Wednesday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 2ft waves, a 7.3s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.