New Jersey
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.
Sat, May 16: 2–3ft, 10s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on ESE swell at 10s and barely a breath of wind. Onshore flow builds through the day to 17mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Sun, May 17: 2–3ft, 8s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on SE swell at 8s and light W winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 12mph from the S and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Mon, May 18: 1–2ft, 8s 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 10mph by PM.
Tue, May 19: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Poor. Aim for the middle of the day — 2-3ft on SE swell at 9s with 11mph SW winds. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning. Don't wait too long — the wind comes back up after lunch.
Wed, May 20: 2–3ft, 6s period, rated Poor. Aim for the middle of the day — 2-3ft on SE swell at 8s with strong SSW wind at 13mph. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning. Don't wait too long — the wind comes back up after lunch.
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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 2-3ft with a 9.35s swell period. Wind is SW at 7mph and conditions are rated Poor - Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at St. James is 2-3ft, produced by a 2.6ft ESE primary swell at 10s, a 1.6ft SSE secondary swell at 9s, a 0.5ft SW wind swell swell at 3s. 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 Sunday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 2ft waves, a 5.75s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. 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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
