THE OUTER CAPE / SURF CONDITIONS

Head of the Meadow Beach Truro · Current conditions

Head of the Meadow Beach

Protected cove with shifting bars

fetched 9:08 PM ET

Live Conditions

Head of the Meadow
Surf Report

Real-time conditions, forecasts and local insight for a better day in the water.

THURSDAY, OCT 22 Truro, MA 54°F Air

Wind

N (7°)

MODERATE BREEZE

Tide

Next High 9:11 PM

Next Low 3:21 AM

Waves

NE (55°) · 5.4 sec

CHOPPY

Water

Water Temperature

COLD
Map of Cape Cod surf spotsMarconi BeachNauset BeachCoast Guard BeachBallston BeachNauset Light BeachLeCount Hollow Beach / Maguire LandingWhite Crest BeachCahoon Hollow BeachNewcomb Hollow BeachHead of the Meadow Beach

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Conditions rated as Blown. Forecast vibe: Blown

Limited surf quality. Compare wind and period before choosing a beach.

Strong wind is likely to reduce wave quality.

Wave height

5.5 ft

Period

5.6 sec

Swell

1.9 ft

5.4s period

Wind

17 mph

↓ N · Onshore · 54°F

Sea temp

55 °F

Cold water

Tide

H 9:11 PM

High · 9.4 ft

Wind chop

4.7 ft

Model grid · not a buoy - trust your eyes & lifeguards

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No Active Weather Alerts

Head of the Meadow Beach · focused point check

All clear No active NWS watches, warnings, or advisories are listed for this selected beach point right now.

5 Day Forecast 7-Day Forecast

Full Forecast →

Daily peak waves · wind · tides

  • Thu

    Oct 22

    Overcast

    Maximum wave height 7-8 FT

    Up to 26 mph NNE

    NNE wind ENE swell

    H 8:53 AM L 2:37 AM

    BIG

  • Fri

    Oct 23

    Mostly sunny

    Maximum wave height 7-8 FT

    Up to 27 mph NNE

    NNE wind ENE swell

    H 9:36 AM L 3:21 AM

    BIG

  • Sat

    Oct 24

    Sunny

    Maximum wave height 4-5 FT

    Up to 12 mph N

    N wind NE swell

    H 10:18 AM L 4:04 AM

    GOOD

  • Sun

    Oct 25

    Sunny

    Maximum wave height 2-3 FT

    Up to 14 mph SSW

    SSW wind ENE swell

    H 11:00 AM L 4:47 AM

    SMALL

  • Mon

    Oct 26

    Sunny

    Maximum wave height 2-3 FT

    Up to 15 mph WSW

    WSW wind E swell

    H 11:44 AM L 5:30 AM

    SMALL

  • Tue

    Oct 27

    Overcast

    Maximum wave height 4-5 FT

    Up to 24 mph NNE

    NNE wind NNE swell

    H 12:17 AM L 6:16 AM

    CHOPPY

  • Wed

    Oct 28

    Overcast

    Maximum wave height 2-3 FT

    Up to 12 mph ENE

    ENE wind NE swell

    H 1:06 AM L 7:03 AM

    CHOPPY

Current Conditions

Just now

Wave Height

5-6 FT

NE (55°)

Wind

17 MPH

N (7°)

Water Temp

55° F

Cold water

Tide

Rising

High 9:11 PM · Low 3:21 AM

Hourly Forecast

The next 24 hours · Eastern time

24-hour line graph for wave height Wave height in feet for each hour in the next 24 hours. 15.0ft 11.3ft 7.5ft 3.8ft 0.0ft H 9:11 PM L 3:21 AM H 9:36 AM L 3:45 PM Friday 1:00 AM: 7.0 ft Fri 1 AM Friday 2:00 AM: 7.1 ft Friday 3:00 AM: 7.1 ft Friday 4:00 AM: 7.0 ft Friday 5:00 AM: 7.0 ft Fri 5 AM Friday 6:00 AM: 7.0 ft Friday 7:00 AM: 7.0 ft Friday 8:00 AM: 7.0 ft Friday 9:00 AM: 6.8 ft Fri 9 AM Friday 10:00 AM: 6.7 ft Friday 11:00 AM: 6.6 ft Friday 12:00 PM: 6.4 ft Friday 1:00 PM: 6.2 ft Fri 1 PM Friday 2:00 PM: 6.0 ft Friday 3:00 PM: 5.7 ft Friday 4:00 PM: 5.5 ft Friday 5:00 PM: 5.2 ft Fri 5 PM Friday 6:00 PM: 5.1 ft Friday 7:00 PM: 4.9 ft Friday 8:00 PM: 4.7 ft Friday 9:00 PM: 4.5 ft Fri 9 PM Friday 10:00 PM: 4.4 ft Friday 11:00 PM: 4.3 ft Saturday 12:00 AM: 4.1 ft Sat 12 AM
  1. 7.0 ft
  2. 7.1 ft
  3. 7.1 ft
  4. 7.0 ft
  5. 7.0 ft
  6. 7.0 ft
  7. 7.0 ft
  8. 7.0 ft
  9. 6.8 ft
  10. 6.7 ft
  11. 6.6 ft
  12. 6.4 ft
  13. 6.2 ft
  14. 6.0 ft
  15. 5.7 ft
  16. 5.5 ft
  17. 5.2 ft
  18. 5.1 ft
  19. 4.9 ft
  20. 4.7 ft
  21. 4.5 ft
  22. 4.4 ft
  23. 4.3 ft
  24. 4.1 ft

Surf Cams

Check local cameras for wave shape and surface conditions.

Live check Nauset Beach Cam Orleans Official Orleans beach-cam landing page for the Atlantic-side Nauset view. Watch cam ↗ YouTube cam Cahoon Hollow Beach Cam Wellfleet YouTube cam check for Cahoon Hollow and the outer-beach sandbar mood. Watch cam ↗ Outer Cape Marconi Beach Cam Wellfleet Outer Cape ocean view for checking Wellfleet lines and beach texture. Watch cam ↗ Surf cam Nauset Surf Cam Surf-Forecast Surf-focused cam page paired with forecast context and nearby cam links. Watch cam ↗

Gear Check

7-day peak 7.2 ft / best Thu Head High / avg 57 stoke

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Weekly Summary

...the week ahead

The week is mixed. Pick the best tide and wind window.

  1. Best day Thursday, Oct 22: Head High, 7.2 ft at 6.0s, 80 stoke.
  2. Biggest surf Thursday, Oct 22: up to 7.2 ft, swell ENE, wind NNE.
  3. Wind note No offshore setup in this week's forecast yet. Weekly average: 57 stoke.

Other Breaks

Every break page is tailored to that beach — not a copy-paste forecast. Jump to another spot below.

Marconi Beach Wellfleet · Outer Cape Nauset Beach Orleans · Atlantic Coast Guard Beach Eastham · National Seashore Ballston Beach Truro · Outer Cape Nauset Light Beach Eastham · Atlantic LeCount Hollow Beach / Maguire Landing Wellfleet · Outer Cape White Crest Beach Wellfleet · Outer Cape Cahoon Hollow Beach Wellfleet · Outer Cape Newcomb Hollow Beach Wellfleet · Outer Cape Head of the Meadow Beach Truro · Outer Cape

Photos provided by Pexels Some wrong beaches sneak through.

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Photo by Tamara Martina on Pexels
Photo by Tamara Martina on Pexels
Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels
Photo by Jan van der Wolf on Pexels
Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels
Photo by Gosia K on Pexels
Photo by Jess Loiterton on Pexels

Beach Photo

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Head of the Meadow Beach Surf Guide

Local swell, wind, and tide notes for Truro

Head of the Meadow in Truro is a protected cove-style Atlantic beach with shifting sandbars. Can offer fun waves when swell bends in, often with fewer surfers than Ballston.

Best swell
East and northeast swells that wrap into the cove. Less exposed than Ballston but still needs Atlantic energy to turn on.
Best wind
West offshore wind cleans the surf zone. WNW texture wind is flagged above 5 mph on northern Outer Cape breaks.
Tide tip
Mid tide is the safest bet for bar shape. Rips can form along the groin and bar edges - scout before paddling out.
Skill level
Beginner to intermediate on small days; intermediate when swell fills in.

Flat or blown out? Also check Ballston Beach , Marconi Beach , White Crest Beach .

Beach safety

Cape Cod National Seashore beaches carry Stop the Bleed trauma kits and emergency call boxes. Know where they are before you paddle out.

  • Call 911 for any emergency. Lifeguards are typically on duty mid-June through Labor Day only.
  • Purple shark flags mean elevated shark risk - follow NPS Shark Smart guidance and check the Sharktivity app.
  • Strong rips, shorebreak, and cold water are common. Surf within your limits and never alone in the off-season.

NPS Beach Safe Shark safety

Common questions

Is Head of the Meadow good for surfing?

Yes on the right swell and wind. It is a Truro alternative to Ballston with a slightly more sheltered feel.

Where is Head of the Meadow Beach?

Head of the Meadow is in Truro at the north end of the Outer Cape, part of Cape Cod National Seashore.

What tide is best at Head of the Meadow?

Mid tide usually balances sandbar shape and access. Check the live tide chart on this surf report before you go.

Beach Wire

Wind + Swell Vector