THE OUTER CAPE / SURF CONDITIONS

Nauset Beach Orleans · Current conditions

Nauset Beach

Long beachbreak energy

fetched 9:08 PM ET

Live Conditions

Nauset Beach
Surf Report

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

THURSDAY, OCT 22 Orleans, MA 53°F Air

Wind

N (3°)

GENTLE BREEZE

Tide

Next High 10:00 PM

Next Low 4:33 AM

Waves

ENE (73°) · 7.3 sec

GOOD

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

Explore Surf Spots

View All →

Conditions rated as Good. Forecast vibe: Good

The forecast suggests a worthwhile surf window. Local wave shape will depend on the tide and sandbar.

Favorable surf potential, depending on the tide.

Wave height

4.5 ft

Period

6.9 sec

Swell

3.0 ft

7.3s period

Wind

12 mph

↓ N · Onshore · 53°F

Sea temp

56 °F

Cold water

Tide

H 10:00 PM

High · 4.8 ft

Wind chop

3.0 ft

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

↻ Reload Plays a quick celebration animation

weather.gov live alert feed

No Active Weather Alerts

Nauset 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

    Rain

    Maximum wave height 6-7 FT

    Up to 20 mph NNE

    NNE wind E swell

    H 9:46 AM L 3:49 AM

    BIG

  • Fri

    Oct 23

    Mostly sunny

    Maximum wave height 5-6 FT

    Up to 17 mph NNE

    NNE wind ENE swell

    H 10:27 AM L 4:33 AM

    CHOPPY

  • Sat

    Oct 24

    Sunny

    Maximum wave height 3-4 FT

    Up to 7 mph N

    N wind ENE swell

    H 11:05 AM L 5:16 AM

    CHOPPY

  • Sun

    Oct 25

    Sunny

    Maximum wave height 2-3 FT

    Up to 7 mph SSW

    SSW wind ENE swell

    H 11:44 AM L 5:57 AM

    CHOPPY

  • Mon

    Oct 26

    Sunny

    Maximum wave height 1-2 FT

    Up to 9 mph WSW

    WSW wind ENE swell

    H 12:16 AM L 6:39 AM

    SMALL

  • Tue

    Oct 27

    Overcast

    Maximum wave height 3-4 FT

    Up to 17 mph NNE

    NNE wind NE swell

    H 1:00 AM L 7:22 AM

    CHOPPY

  • Wed

    Oct 28

    Overcast

    Maximum wave height 1-2 FT

    Up to 8 mph ENE

    ENE wind NE swell

    H 1:45 AM L 8:08 AM

    SMALL

Current Conditions

Just now

Wave Height

4-5 FT

ENE (73°)

Wind

12 MPH

N (3°)

Water Temp

56° F

Cold water

Tide

Rising

High 10:00 PM · Low 4:33 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 10:00 PM L 4:33 AM H 10:27 AM L 4:56 PM Friday 1:00 AM: 5.1 ft Fri 1 AM Friday 2:00 AM: 5.1 ft Friday 3:00 AM: 5.1 ft Friday 4:00 AM: 5.1 ft Friday 5:00 AM: 5.0 ft Fri 5 AM Friday 6:00 AM: 4.9 ft Friday 7:00 AM: 4.9 ft Friday 8:00 AM: 4.9 ft Friday 9:00 AM: 4.9 ft Fri 9 AM Friday 10:00 AM: 4.8 ft Friday 11:00 AM: 4.8 ft Friday 12:00 PM: 4.7 ft Friday 1:00 PM: 4.7 ft Fri 1 PM Friday 2:00 PM: 4.7 ft Friday 3:00 PM: 4.6 ft Friday 4:00 PM: 4.5 ft Friday 5:00 PM: 4.4 ft Fri 5 PM Friday 6:00 PM: 4.3 ft Friday 7:00 PM: 4.2 ft Friday 8:00 PM: 4.1 ft Friday 9:00 PM: 3.9 ft Fri 9 PM Friday 10:00 PM: 3.9 ft Friday 11:00 PM: 3.7 ft Saturday 12:00 AM: 3.6 ft Sat 12 AM
  1. 5.1 ft
  2. 5.1 ft
  3. 5.1 ft
  4. 5.1 ft
  5. 5.0 ft
  6. 4.9 ft
  7. 4.9 ft
  8. 4.9 ft
  9. 4.9 ft
  10. 4.8 ft
  11. 4.8 ft
  12. 4.7 ft
  13. 4.7 ft
  14. 4.7 ft
  15. 4.6 ft
  16. 4.5 ft
  17. 4.4 ft
  18. 4.3 ft
  19. 4.2 ft
  20. 4.1 ft
  21. 3.9 ft
  22. 3.9 ft
  23. 3.7 ft
  24. 3.6 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 6.0 ft / best Thu Head High / avg 57 stoke

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Weekly Summary

...the week ahead

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

  1. Best day Thursday, Oct 22: Head High, 6.0 ft at 7.4s, 74 stoke.
  2. Biggest surf Thursday, Oct 22: up to 6.0 ft, swell E, 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.

Photo by Beth Fitzpatrick on Pexels
Photo by Beth Fitzpatrick on Pexels
Photo by Tamara Martina on Pexels
Photo by Jeff Nissen on Pexels
Photo by Nathan Cowley on Pexels
Photo by Jan van der Wolf on Pexels
Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels
Photo by https://kaboompics.com/ on Pexels

Beach Photo

View on Pexels

Nauset Beach Surf Guide

Local swell, wind, and tide notes for Orleans

Nauset Beach in Orleans is a long Atlantic beachbreak with miles of sandbars. It picks up swell easily but is sensitive to wind - especially southerly texture that bumps the faces.

Best swell
East and southeast swells are ideal. Nauset faces roughly east-northeast, so any swell with energy from the Atlantic side of the compass can produce rideable lines.
Best wind
West wind is offshore here and can improve wave shape. Avoid south-component wind above 6 mph - our model treats 175–210° as a surface-quality problem at Nauset even when technically cross-shore.
Tide tip
Mid to low tide often exposes better bar definition. High tide can make the shorebreak dumpy near the main access points.
Skill level
Beginner-friendly on small days near lifeguard zones; experienced surfers spread along the beach for better peaks on good swells.

Flat or blown out? Also check Nauset Light Beach , Coast Guard Beach , Marconi Beach .

Beach safety

Town-managed Nauset Beach has Stop the Bleed trauma kits on-site and Be Shark Smart signage through the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy partnership.

  • Call 911 for emergencies. Lifeguards patrol in season - swim near guarded areas when they are on duty.
  • Purple shark flags and Shark Smart tips apply here. Check Sharktivity before you go.
  • Long beach means help can be far away. Note your access point and watch for rips near inlets.

Be Shark Smart Stop the Bleed

Common questions

What are the best surf conditions at Nauset Beach?

The best Nauset sessions happen when an east or southeast swell combines with west offshore wind under 18 mph. South wind above 6 mph often ruins surface quality.

Is Nauset Beach crowded for surfing?

Summer weekends are busy with swimmers and beach traffic. Dawn patrol and weekday sessions are quieter. The beach is long enough to spread out away from main entrances.

What tide is best for surfing Nauset Beach?

Mid to low tide typically offers the most defined sandbars. Check the live tide readout on this page before paddling out.

Beach Wire

Wind + Swell Vector