THE OUTER CAPE / SURF CONDITIONS

Head of the Meadow Beach Truro · Current conditions

Head of the Meadow Beach

Protected cove with shifting bars

cached fetched 12:25 PM ET

Conditions rated as Flat. Forecast vibe: Flat

Very little surf in the forecast. Check the hourly outlook for changes.

Very little surf.

Wave height

1.0 ft

Period

3.3 sec

Swell

0.6 ft

2.6s period

Wind

11 mph

↓ SW · Cross · 60°F

Sea temp

60 °F

Cool water

Tide

L 3:13 PM

Low · 0.5 ft

Wind chop

0.7 ft

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

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weather.gov live alert feed

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.

7-Day Forecast

Daily peak waves · wind · tides

  • Wed

    Weak

    Maximum wave height 2.2 ft

    3.8s · 16 mph

    SSW wind NNW swell

    H 9:11 AM L 2:54 AM

  • Thu

    Weak

    Maximum wave height 2.5 ft

    3.5s · 19 mph

    SW wind S swell

    H 10:04 AM L 3:48 AM

  • Fri

    Weak

    Maximum wave height 2.5 ft

    3.5s · 26 mph

    WNW wind NW swell

    H 10:52 AM L 4:38 AM

  • Sat

    Weak

    Maximum wave height 3.3 ft

    4.3s · 20 mph

    NW wind NNW swell

    H 11:37 AM L 5:24 AM

  • Sun

    Weak

    Maximum wave height 2.1 ft

    3.2s · 21 mph

    SSW wind ESE swell

    H 12:05 AM L 6:07 AM

  • Mon

    Weak

    Maximum wave height 3.6 ft

    4.6s · 23 mph

    NNE wind SSE swell

    H 12:51 AM L 6:50 AM

    🌫️ Beach fog likely

  • Tue

    Head High

    Maximum wave height 6.6 ft

    5.2s · 30 mph

    ESE wind SE swell

    H 1:35 AM L 7:32 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 L 3:13 PM H 9:32 PM L 3:48 AM H 10:04 AM Wednesday 4:00 PM: 1.6 ft Wed 4 PM Wednesday 5:00 PM: 1.8 ft Wednesday 6:00 PM: 1.8 ft Wednesday 7:00 PM: 1.9 ft Wednesday 8:00 PM: 1.9 ft Wed 8 PM Wednesday 9:00 PM: 2.0 ft Wednesday 10:00 PM: 2.0 ft Wednesday 11:00 PM: 2.1 ft Thursday 12:00 AM: 2.1 ft Thu 12 AM Thursday 1:00 AM: 2.0 ft Thursday 2:00 AM: 2.0 ft Thursday 3:00 AM: 2.0 ft Thursday 4:00 AM: 2.0 ft Thu 4 AM Thursday 5:00 AM: 2.0 ft Thursday 6:00 AM: 2.2 ft Thursday 7:00 AM: 2.2 ft Thursday 8:00 AM: 2.4 ft Thu 8 AM Thursday 9:00 AM: 2.4 ft Thursday 10:00 AM: 2.4 ft Thursday 11:00 AM: 2.5 ft Thursday 12:00 PM: 2.4 ft Thu 12 PM Thursday 1:00 PM: 2.3 ft Thursday 2:00 PM: 2.2 ft Thursday 3:00 PM: 2.0 ft Thu 3 PM
  1. 1.6 ft
  2. 1.8 ft
  3. 1.8 ft
  4. 1.9 ft
  5. 1.9 ft
  6. 2.0 ft
  7. 2.0 ft
  8. 2.1 ft
  9. 2.1 ft
  10. 2.0 ft
  11. 2.0 ft
  12. 2.0 ft
  13. 2.0 ft
  14. 2.0 ft
  15. 2.2 ft
  16. 2.2 ft
  17. 2.4 ft
  18. 2.4 ft
  19. 2.4 ft
  20. 2.5 ft
  21. 2.4 ft
  22. 2.3 ft
  23. 2.2 ft
  24. 2.0 ft

Surf Cams

Check local cameras for wave shape and surface conditions.

Cam hub Cape Cod Beach Cams Outer Cape directory Fast jump list for Nauset, Skaket, Cahoon Hollow, Marconi, and more. Watch cam ↗ 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 6.6 ft / best Tue Head High / avg 32 stoke

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Weekly Summary

...the week ahead

Surf quality looks limited this week. Compare wave height, period, and wind for the best window.

  1. Best day Tuesday, Oct 13: Head High, 6.6 ft at 5.2s, 69 stoke.
  2. Biggest surf Tuesday, Oct 13: up to 6.6 ft, swell SE, wind ESE.
  3. Wind note No offshore setup in this week's forecast yet. Weekly average: 32 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

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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