Florida - East Coast
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Crescent Beach, Florida - East Coast. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Sun, May 10: 1–2ft, 6s period, rated Poor. A slow one — 1-2ft waves and poor conditions with 10mph NE winds.
Mon, May 11: 1–2ft, 12s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with gentle SSW breeze. Afternoon breeze fills in to 8mph.
Tue, May 12: 1–2ft, 11s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with light NNW winds.
Wed, May 13: 3–4ft, 8s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 4-5ft on ENE swell at 8s with light ENE winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 9mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Thu, May 14: 2–3ft, 8s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 3-4ft waves on ENE swell at 8s and light W winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 8mph from the E and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
8s period — conditions are improving beyond your forecast
Free, simple, and takes 30 seconds.
Crescent Beach is a shifty, sand-bottom beach break and the last surfable stretch before the sharky Matanzas Inlet. It doesn't hold big surf, but can turn garden-variety wind chop into fun, peaky waves depending on sandbar alignment. If the sandbars are good in St. Augustine, they'll be good here too. Well-suited for beginners and longboarders looking for uncrowded, mellow conditions.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Crescent Beach is 1-2ft with a 6.4s swell period. Wind is NE at 11mph and conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Crescent Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 0.9ft ENE primary swell at 6s, a 0.7ft ENE secondary swell at 10s, a 0.5ft SE tertiary swell at 4s, a 0.9ft NNE 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 Crescent Beach is Thursday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 7.55s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Crescent Beach 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 Crescent Beach. 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.
Crescent Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Crescent Beach is a shifty, sand-bottom beach break and the last surfable stretch before the sharky Matanzas Inlet. It doesn't hold big surf, but can turn garden-variety wind chop into fun, peaky waves depending on sandbar alignment. If the sandbars are good in St. Augustine, they'll be good here too. Well-suited for beginners and longboarders looking for uncrowded, mellow conditions.
The prime season at Crescent Beach 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 Crescent Beach include strong currents, rip currents, jellyfish, sharks, holiday crowds. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Crescent Beach 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.
