New Jersey
Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 2-3+ft with 11mph from the SSW.
Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 2-3+ft with 11mph from the SSW.
Best window·Monday 6AM–9AM·3-4ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at St. James, New Jersey. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 2–3ft, 6s period, rated Very Poor. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on E swell at 6s and 12mph from the SW. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Fri, Sep 4: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. Aim for the middle of the day — 1-2ft on SE swell at 8s with 9mph WNW winds. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 6s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on N swell at 4s with 13mph N winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Sun, Sep 6: 3–4ft, 6s period, rated Poor - Fair. Morning kicks off with 1-2ft on NE swell at 4s. Size picks up as the day goes on — 3-4ft by afternoon.
Mon, Sep 7: 3–4ft, 10s period, rated Fair - Good. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on ENE swell at 8s with 9mph NNW winds. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Very Poor today — get one free email when St. James turns Good.
Check St. James from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
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.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at St. James is 2-3+ft with a 5.7s swell period. Wind is SW at 12mph. Conditions are rated Very Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at St. James is 2-3+ft, produced by a 2.2ft E wind swell swell at 6s, a 1.8ft SE secondary swell at 9s, 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 St. James is Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 7.8s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
St. James works best with a S swell and N 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 St. James. 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.
St. James is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. 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.
The prime season at St. James 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 St. James include rip currents, shifting sandbars, crowds during summer, cold water. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
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. 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).
