New York
Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 2-3ft with moderate SW wind around 11mph.
Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 2-3ft with moderate SW wind around 11mph.
Best window·Sunday 5PM–8PM·2-3ft·Fair - Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Turtle Cove, New York. 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 Poor. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on SE swell at 6s with 12mph from the SW. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Fri, Sep 4: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with 8mph from the WNW.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Very Poor. Skip the dawn patrol — 1-2ft and very poor early on. Wind drops off and the surface cleans up — poor by afternoon.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 7s period, rated Very Poor. Expect 1-2ft waves early on NE swell at 5s.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3ft, 10s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on E swell at 10s with 13mph from the N. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
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Check Turtle Cove from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Turtle Cove (Turtles) is widely considered the best wave in Montauk — a powerful right-hand point/reef break over boulders just west of Montauk Lighthouse. When a proper SE swell hits with NW offshore winds, it produces hollow, tubing waves with rides of 50-300 meters. The shallow boulder reef, strong rip currents, and powerful waves make this strictly for experienced surfers.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Turtle Cove is 2-3ft with a 6.3s swell period. Wind is SW at 12mph. Conditions are rated Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Turtle Cove is 2-3ft, produced by a 2.5ft SE wind swell swell at 6s, a 1.6ft SE secondary swell at 9s. 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 Turtle Cove is Sunday from 5 PM to 8 PM with 2ft waves, a 6.6s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Turtle Cove works best with a SE swell and NW 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 Turtle Cove. 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.
Turtle Cove is a point with a rock bottom, suited to advanced surfers. Turtle Cove (Turtles) is widely considered the best wave in Montauk — a powerful right-hand point/reef break over boulders just west of Montauk Lighthouse. When a proper SE swell hits with NW offshore winds, it produces hollow, tubing waves with rides of 50-300 meters. The shallow boulder reef, strong rip currents, and powerful waves make this strictly for experienced surfers.
The prime season at Turtle Cove 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 Turtle Cove include shallow boulder reef, strong rip currents around point, powerful waves, long paddle out, jellyfish. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Turtle Cove 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).
