THE OUTER CAPE / SURF CONDITIONS

Nauset Beach Orleans · Current conditions

Nauset Beach

Long beachbreak energy

cached fetched 12:28 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

0.9 ft

Period

4.5 sec

Swell

0.5 ft

6.6s period

Wind

9 mph

↓ SSW · Cross · 63°F

Sea temp

59 °F

Cool water

Tide

L 4:28 PM

Low · 0.0 ft

Wind chop

0.6 ft

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

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Nauset 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

    Small

    Maximum wave height 1.5 ft

    5.5s · 11 mph

    SSW wind N swell

    H 10:00 AM L 4:15 AM

  • Thu

    Weak

    Maximum wave height 2.3 ft

    3.9s · 17 mph

    SW wind SE swell

    H 10:53 AM L 5:07 AM

  • Fri

    Small

    Maximum wave height 1.7 ft

    3.9s · 18 mph

    WNW wind NNW swell

    H 11:40 AM L 5:55 AM

  • Sat

    Okay

    Maximum wave height 2.3 ft

    5.1s · 12 mph

    NW wind N swell

    H 12:06 AM L 6:39 AM

  • Sun

    Small

    Maximum wave height 1.4 ft

    4.1s · 14 mph

    SSW wind E swell

    H 12:52 AM L 7:21 AM

  • Mon

    Weak

    Maximum wave height 3.0 ft

    5.7s · 15 mph

    N wind SE swell

    H 1:36 AM L 8:01 AM

    🌫️ Beach fog likely

  • Tue

    Blown

    Maximum wave height 4.3 ft

    6.5s · 20 mph

    ESE wind SE swell

    H 2:21 AM L 8:40 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 4:28 PM H 10:22 PM L 5:07 AM H 10:53 AM Wednesday 4:00 PM: 1.3 ft Wed 4 PM Wednesday 5:00 PM: 1.4 ft Wednesday 6:00 PM: 1.4 ft Wednesday 7:00 PM: 1.4 ft Wednesday 8:00 PM: 1.5 ft Wed 8 PM Wednesday 9:00 PM: 1.5 ft Wednesday 10:00 PM: 1.5 ft Wednesday 11:00 PM: 1.5 ft Thursday 12:00 AM: 1.5 ft Thu 12 AM Thursday 1:00 AM: 1.6 ft Thursday 2:00 AM: 1.6 ft Thursday 3:00 AM: 1.6 ft Thursday 4:00 AM: 1.6 ft Thu 4 AM Thursday 5:00 AM: 1.7 ft Thursday 6:00 AM: 1.8 ft Thursday 7:00 AM: 1.9 ft Thursday 8:00 AM: 2.0 ft Thu 8 AM Thursday 9:00 AM: 2.1 ft Thursday 10:00 AM: 2.2 ft Thursday 11:00 AM: 2.3 ft Thursday 12:00 PM: 2.3 ft Thu 12 PM Thursday 1:00 PM: 2.2 ft Thursday 2:00 PM: 2.2 ft Thursday 3:00 PM: 2.0 ft Thu 3 PM
  1. 1.3 ft
  2. 1.4 ft
  3. 1.4 ft
  4. 1.4 ft
  5. 1.5 ft
  6. 1.5 ft
  7. 1.5 ft
  8. 1.5 ft
  9. 1.5 ft
  10. 1.6 ft
  11. 1.6 ft
  12. 1.6 ft
  13. 1.6 ft
  14. 1.7 ft
  15. 1.8 ft
  16. 1.9 ft
  17. 2.0 ft
  18. 2.1 ft
  19. 2.2 ft
  20. 2.3 ft
  21. 2.3 ft
  22. 2.2 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 4.3 ft / best Tue Blown / avg 36 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: Blown, 4.3 ft at 6.5s, 50 stoke.
  2. Biggest surf Tuesday, Oct 13: up to 4.3 ft, swell SE, wind ESE.
  3. Wind note No offshore setup in this week's forecast yet. Weekly average: 36 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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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