🇺🇸 OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND

Ocean City

Maryland's primary surf beach, consistent Atlantic exposure

SMALL

Live Conditions

Conditions Summary

Small 2.1ft surf — but short 6s period indicates wind swell, expect choppy conditions — but swell direction is marginal for this spot — 8mph onshore wind roughing up the surface — Note: this is outside the peak season for this spot

LOW CONFIDENCEModel-only forecast, no buoy nearby

Why it's SMALL

Swell Direction

Primary swell is 126° — close to but not perfectly aligned with ideal 80°. Spot will work but not at its best.

Swell Period

6s — this is wind chop, not groundswell. Waves will be weak and disorganized.

Wind

8mph onshore — light but will soften wave shape

Tide

High tide — some spots get mushy at peak high

Season

July is off-season — rare for this spot to get quality waves

Data Confidence

Model-only forecast, no buoy nearby

At the Break

2.1ft

LOW CONFIDENCE

Model-only forecast, no buoy nearby

Period

✗ Wind swell

Wind

8mph

ONSHORE

Water

75°F

Boardshorts

Tide

HIGH TIDE

2.5ft

Next high: in 40 min

Swell Direction

55%

Wind Direction

20%

Primary Swell

1.3ft @ 7.8s

SE 126°

Secondary Swell

0.9ft @ 5.0s

ENE 72°

10 Day Outlook

3.1ft

TODAY

Jul 28

(7s)

3.0ft

TMRW

Jul 29

(7s)

2.5ft

THU

Jul 30

(8s)

2.2ft

FRI

Jul 31

(8s)

2.2ft

SAT

Aug 1

(7s)

2.6ft

SUN

Aug 2

(9s)

3.1ft

MON

Aug 3

(9s)

2.6ft

TUE

Aug 4

(7s)

1.8ft

WED

Aug 5

(7s)

1.5ft

THU

Aug 6

(10s)

Best this week: SUN Aug 2 — 2.6ft

Best next week: THU Aug 6 — 1.5ft

Model Breakdown

ECMWF (45%)2.1ft

ICON (35%)2.2ft

GFS (20%)2.2ft

Model confidence95%

Updated every 30 mins · Open-Meteo ECMWF + ICON + GFS

About

Ocean City stretches 10 miles along the Maryland Atlantic coast with consistent beach break along its length. The inlet at the south end holds larger swell more cleanly. A classic East Coast surf town with a full boardwalk scene in summer and quiet sessions in the off-season.

The Break

Inlet jetty at the south end — or any of the beach break peaks up the coast.

Ideal Conditions

E/NE swell 3-8ft, offshore W/NW wind, mid tide

Best Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Best months highlighted · Current: Jul

Trip Planner

Ocean City Beach Break Weekend

Weekend · 3 Days

Friday

Drive to Ocean City (from DC/Balt area, 2 hrs). Check the south inlet or beach lineup.

Saturday

Dawn patrol at prime peaks. Afternoon walk the famous boardwalk.

Sunday

Morning session, head home.

Maryland Beach Town Week

Full Week · 7 Days

Day 1

Arrive Ocean City, settle in, explore the 10-mile beach.

Day 2-4

Multiple sessions at different beach sections. South inlet holds bigger swell.

Day 5

Final session, boardwalk time before departure.

Local Knowledge

Inlet is the go-to when it's big.

Summer has permit requirements for surfing; off-season is unrestricted.

Full boardwalk infrastructure available.