Florida - East Coast
Conditions stay similar this week — check the hourly forecast at Vilano for the cleanest windows.
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Vilano, Florida - East Coast. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Tue, Jun 30: 0–1ft, 9s period, rated Very Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 0-1ft and mostly very poor with glassy conditions. Afternoon breeze fills in to 16mph.
Wed, Jul 1: 2–3ft, 7s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 2ft waves on E swell at 8s with moderate ENE wind around 7mph. The NE wind kicks in by afternoon — 15mph and poor by then.
Thu, Jul 2: 2–3ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on ENE swell at 8s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 10mph from the NE and dropping conditions to poor.
Fri, Jul 3: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on ENE swell at 7s with light winds out of the S. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 11mph from the ESE and dropping conditions to poor.
Sat, Jul 4: 1–1ft, 8s period, rated Very Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 0-1ft and mostly very poor with gentle SSW breeze. Afternoon breeze fills in to 11mph.
Vilano is the most powerful wave in the St. Augustine area — a fast, steep shorebreak that bowls and wedges just feet from the sand, sometimes called St. Augustine's answer to Sebastian Inlet. It only works on high tide when water clears the outer bars, producing hollow, pitching barrels over coarse coquina sand. Fickle and unpredictable, but when it's on, it's world-class for the region.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Vilano is 0-1ft with a 8.7s swell period. Wind is NNE at 9mph and 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 Vilano is 0-1ft, produced by a 1.5ft E primary swell at 9s, a 0.9ft NE 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 Vilano is Thursday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 2ft waves, a 7.5s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Vilano works best with a E swell and SW 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 Vilano. 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.
Vilano is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to advanced surfers. Vilano is the most powerful wave in the St. Augustine area — a fast, steep shorebreak that bowls and wedges just feet from the sand, sometimes called St. Augustine's answer to Sebastian Inlet. It only works on high tide when water clears the outer bars, producing hollow, pitching barrels over coarse coquina sand. Fickle and unpredictable, but when it's on, it's world-class for the region.
The prime season at Vilano 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 Vilano include powerful shorebreak, strong inlet currents, coarse coquina sand, sharks, rip currents. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Vilano 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. Visit /public/accuracy for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
