Surf Forecast: 7th Ave, Belmar, NJ

Alright, Jersey shredders, get ready to wax up those boards because we've got a fun few days ahead, despite a bit of a mixed bag! The water temperature is sitting beautifully in the low 70s Fahrenheit, so no need for thick rubber this week – maybe just a vest or a thin spring suit if you run cold. Air temperatures will be super comfortable, ranging from the mid-60s to mid-70s Fahrenheit, making for some epic sessions. Remember, I'm mapping the provided forecast data to the next 2-3 days from today, Thursday, September 18th, so let's dive into the specifics! Kicking things off this Thursday evening, September 18th, we're looking at some solid shoulder-to-head high waves, initially around 5.8 feet and slowly backing down to about 5 feet by sunset. The swell is coming in primarily from the East to East-Southeast, with quick periods hovering around 5.7 to 5.9 seconds. Expect a bit of texture though, as the winds will be a moderate NNE at 11-14 mph, easing to around 9.5 mph by dusk. These cross-shore winds mean the waves won't be perfectly groomed, but with the tide pushing in towards a high around 5:48 PM EDT, we should see some fun, albeit slightly bumpy, peaks to bash. Sunrise today was at 6:41 AM EDT, and sunset is at 7:01 PM EDT. Friday, September 19th, sees a gradual decrease in wave height but potentially cleaner conditions. Early birds might find waves in the 4 to 5-foot range, tapering off to under 3 feet by the evening. The East to East-Southeast swell remains consistent, with periods starting around 5.9 seconds and stretching out to a more workable 7 seconds later in the day, which should give those waves a bit more punch. The good news for wave shape is the lighter winds! We're expecting very light Northerly winds at 5-7 mph in the morning, becoming an almost glassy ENE at a mere 2-3 mph by the afternoon, then shifting to a light SSE at 6.5 mph in the evening. While not perfectly offshore, these light winds mean much less chop, offering some cleaner faces to carve. High tide hits at 6:12 AM EDT, perfect for a sunrise session, then drops to a low at 12:21 PM EDT, before pushing back to high at 6:37 PM EDT, just as the sun sets at 7:00 PM EDT. Heading into Saturday, September 20th, conditions will be on the smaller side, mainly in the knee to waist-high range, starting around 2.7 feet and dropping to about 2.1 feet by mid-morning, with a slight bump to 2.4 feet in the late afternoon. The East to East-Southeast swell continues, offering periods in the 6.7 to 7.1-second range. Now, here's the kicker: for those dedicated enough, there's a very brief window of true offshore winds in the pre-dawn hours! From approximately 12 AM to 2 AM EDT, we're looking at light West-Southwesterly to Westerly winds at around 4-5 mph. While the waves will be tiny, this could offer some super clean, albeit small, wedges. After this, winds shift to a cross-shore NW/NNE at 5-9 mph through the morning, moving to an ENE at 8-9 mph in the afternoon, bringing some inevitable chop. High tide is at 6:57 AM EDT, just after sunrise (6:43 AM EDT), before falling to low tide at 1:08 PM EDT. Sunset is at 6:58 PM EDT.