Florida - East Coast
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Main 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: 0–1ft, 9s period, rated Very Poor. Not the most exciting day — 0-1ft and very poor conditions with 8mph E winds.
Mon, May 11: 0–1ft, 12s period, rated Very Poor. A slow one — 0-1ft waves and very poor conditions with barely a breath of wind.
Tue, May 12: 2–3ft, 12s period, rated Poor. Afternoon is the play — morning is only very poor at 0-1ft. Surf builds nicely through the day to 4-5ft with poor conditions by the afternoon.
Wed, May 13: 2–3ft, 8s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on ENE swell at 8s with light winds out of the ENE. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 9mph from the ENE and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Thu, May 14: 1–2ft, 7s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with gentle WNW breeze. Afternoon breeze fills in to 11mph.
8s period — conditions are improving beyond your forecast
Free, simple, and takes 30 seconds.
Main Beach at Fernandina is Amelia Island's primary surf spot, known for spitting sand-bottom barrels just yards from shore. With limited interference from outside sandbars, it delivers a legit shorebreak experience at higher tides — hollow, fast, and powerful. When a solid NE swell hits in winter, this spot fires with some of the longest, most powerful lines on the island.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Main Beach is 0-1+ft with a 9.15s swell period. Wind is E at 8mph 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 Main Beach is 0-1+ft, produced by a 0.7ft ENE primary swell at 6s, a 0.7ft E secondary swell at 9s, a 0.4ft ESE tertiary swell at 6s, a 0.8ft E wind swell swell at 4s. 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 Main Beach is Wednesday from 2 PM to 5 PM with 2ft waves, a 8.3s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Main Beach works best with a NE 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 Main 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.
Main Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Main Beach at Fernandina is Amelia Island's primary surf spot, known for spitting sand-bottom barrels just yards from shore. With limited interference from outside sandbars, it delivers a legit shorebreak experience at higher tides — hollow, fast, and powerful. When a solid NE swell hits in winter, this spot fires with some of the longest, most powerful lines on the island.
The prime season at Main Beach is winter, 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 Main Beach include powerful shorebreak, rip currents, sharks, jellyfish, pier pilings. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Main 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.
