New Jersey
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Barnegat Light, New Jersey. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Sun, May 10: 3–4ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. A slow one — 3-4ft waves and poor - fair conditions with 12mph from the ESE.
Mon, May 11: 3–4ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. Not the most exciting day — 2-3ft and poor - fair conditions with 17mph out of the NNE.
Tue, May 12: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. Expect 1-2ft waves early on ESE swell at 8s.
Wed, May 13: 2–3ft, 7s period, rated Poor. Not the most exciting day — 1-2ft and poor conditions with moderate SSW wind around 10mph. Expect the wind to bump up to around 16mph by PM.
Thu, May 14: 2–3ft, 6s period, rated Fair. Consistent 2-3ft surf through the day on SE swell at 8s with 8mph WSW winds. Afternoon breeze fills in to 14mph.
6s period — conditions are improving beyond your forecast
Free, simple, and takes 30 seconds.
Barnegat Light sits at the northern tip of Long Beach Island where the Barnegat Inlet creates a powerful, wedging wave that breaks over shifting sandbars near a partially submerged rock jetty. The inlet's tidal flow sculpts deep sandbars that produce heavy, hollow barrels when larger swells arrive, but the combination of strong currents, submerged rocks, and unpredictable bottom contours makes this a spot strictly for expert surfers. Fall nor'easters and hurricane swells deliver the goods, but the consequences of a mistake here are severe.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Barnegat Light is 3-4+ft with a 8.1s swell period. Wind is E at 9mph 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 Barnegat Light is 3-4+ft, produced by a 0.3ft ESE primary swell at 13s, a 0.2ft ESE secondary swell at 16s, a 4.1ft SE wind swell swell at 8s. 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 Barnegat Light is Thursday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 5.7s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Barnegat Light works best with a E swell and W 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 Barnegat Light. 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.
Barnegat Light is a rivermouth with a sand bottom, suited to expert surfers. Barnegat Light sits at the northern tip of Long Beach Island where the Barnegat Inlet creates a powerful, wedging wave that breaks over shifting sandbars near a partially submerged rock jetty. The inlet's tidal flow sculpts deep sandbars that produce heavy, hollow barrels when larger swells arrive, but the combination of strong currents, submerged rocks, and unpredictable bottom contours makes this a spot strictly for expert surfers. Fall nor'easters and hurricane swells deliver the goods, but the consequences of a mistake here are severe.
The prime season at Barnegat Light 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 Barnegat Light include submerged rock jetty, extreme currents, shifting sandbars, boat traffic, cold water, heavy shorebreak. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Barnegat Light 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.
