THE OUTER CAPE / SURF CONDITIONS

Nauset Light Beach Eastham · Current conditions

Nauset Light Beach

Dramatic cliffs & historic beacon

fetched 7:48 AM ET

Live Conditions

Nauset Light Beach
Surf Report

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

FRIDAY, OCT 23 Eastham, MA 49°F Air

Wind

NNE (12°)

MODERATE BREEZE

Tide

Next High 10:27 AM

Next Low 4:56 PM

Waves

ENE (65°) · 7.6 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

4.9 ft

Period

6.8 sec

Swell

2.9 ft

7.6s period

Wind

19 mph

↓ NNE · Onshore · 49°F

Sea temp

55 °F

Cold water

Tide

H 10:27 AM

High · 5.0 ft

Wind chop

3.9 ft

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

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Severe Weather Alert

Nauset Light Beach · focused point check

Minor

Small Craft Advisory

Small Craft Advisory issued October 23 at 3:20AM EDT until October 24 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA

Coastal waters east of Ipswich Bay and the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary; Coastal waters from Provincetown MA to Chatham MA to Nantucket MA out 20 NM

Expires Oct 23, 4:30 PM EDT

NWS Statement ↗

5 Day Forecast 7-Day Forecast

Full Forecast →

Daily peak waves · wind · tides

  • Fri

    Oct 23

    Sunny

    Maximum wave height 5-6 FT

    Up to 21 mph NNE

    NNE wind ENE swell

    H 10:27 AM L 4:33 AM

    CHOPPY

  • Sat

    Oct 24

    Mostly sunny

    Maximum wave height 3-4 FT

    Up to 9 mph NNW

    NNW wind ENE swell

    H 11:05 AM L 5:16 AM

    GOOD

  • 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

    GOOD

  • Mon

    Oct 26

    Sunny

    Maximum wave height 1-2 FT

    Up to 8 mph SW

    SW wind ENE swell

    H 12:16 AM L 6:39 AM

    SMALL

  • Tue

    Oct 27

    Sunny

    Maximum wave height 3-4 FT

    Up to 18 mph NE

    NE wind NE swell

    H 1:00 AM L 7:22 AM

    CHOPPY

  • Wed

    Oct 28

    Overcast

    Maximum wave height 1-2 FT

    Up to 10 mph E

    E wind NE swell

    H 1:45 AM L 8:08 AM

    SMALL

  • Thu

    Oct 29

    Overcast

    Maximum wave height 1-2 FT

    Up to 9 mph S

    S wind ESE swell

    H 2:35 AM L 8:58 AM

    SMALL

Current Conditions

Just now

Wave Height

5-6 FT

ENE (65°)

Wind

19 MPH

NNE (12°)

Water Temp

55° F

Cold water

Tide

Rising

High 10:27 AM · Low 4:56 PM

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 10:27 AM L 4:56 PM H 10:47 PM L 5:16 AM Friday 11:00 AM: 4.8 ft Fri 11 AM Friday 12:00 PM: 4.7 ft Friday 1:00 PM: 4.7 ft Friday 2:00 PM: 4.7 ft Friday 3:00 PM: 4.6 ft Fri 3 PM Friday 4:00 PM: 4.5 ft Friday 5:00 PM: 4.4 ft Friday 6:00 PM: 4.3 ft Friday 7:00 PM: 4.2 ft Fri 7 PM Friday 8:00 PM: 4.1 ft Friday 9:00 PM: 3.9 ft Friday 10:00 PM: 3.9 ft Friday 11:00 PM: 3.7 ft Fri 11 PM Saturday 12:00 AM: 3.6 ft Saturday 1:00 AM: 3.5 ft Saturday 2:00 AM: 3.3 ft Saturday 3:00 AM: 3.3 ft Sat 3 AM Saturday 4:00 AM: 3.3 ft Saturday 5:00 AM: 3.2 ft Saturday 6:00 AM: 3.2 ft Saturday 7:00 AM: 3.2 ft Sat 7 AM Saturday 8:00 AM: 3.2 ft Saturday 9:00 AM: 3.1 ft Saturday 10:00 AM: 3.1 ft Sat 10 AM
  1. 4.8 ft
  2. 4.7 ft
  3. 4.7 ft
  4. 4.7 ft
  5. 4.6 ft
  6. 4.5 ft
  7. 4.4 ft
  8. 4.3 ft
  9. 4.2 ft
  10. 4.1 ft
  11. 3.9 ft
  12. 3.9 ft
  13. 3.7 ft
  14. 3.6 ft
  15. 3.5 ft
  16. 3.3 ft
  17. 3.3 ft
  18. 3.3 ft
  19. 3.2 ft
  20. 3.2 ft
  21. 3.2 ft
  22. 3.2 ft
  23. 3.1 ft
  24. 3.1 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 5.1 ft / best Sat Fun / avg 49 stoke

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Weekly Summary

...the week ahead

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

  1. Best day Saturday, Oct 24: Fun, 3.6 ft at 9.9s, 73 stoke.
  2. Biggest surf Friday, Oct 23: up to 5.1 ft, swell ENE, wind NNE.
  3. Wind note No offshore setup in this week's forecast yet. Weekly average: 49 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 Nayla Charo on Pexels
Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels
Photo by Nathan Cowley on Pexels
Photo by https://kaboompics.com/ on Pexels
Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels

Beach Photo

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Nauset Light Beach Surf Guide

Local swell, wind, and tide notes for Eastham

Nauset Light Beach in Eastham sits below dramatic cliffs and the historic Nauset Light. A Atlantic-facing beachbreak that shares Nauset's swell exposure with a more compact surf zone.

Best swell
East and southeast swells produce the best waves. The break responds similarly to nearby Nauset and Coast Guard when Atlantic energy is present.
Best wind
West offshore wind is best. Onshore easterlies and strong south wind degrade surface quality quickly.
Tide tip
Mid tide is usually safest for shape and access from the cliff-side parking area.
Skill level
Intermediate. Shorebreak and cliff access make it less forgiving than wide stretches of Nauset on big days.

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

Can you surf at Nauset Light Beach?

Yes, when swell and wind align. It is a legitimate Eastham surf spot with a shorter ride zone than Nauset Beach to the south.

What is the difference between Nauset Beach and Nauset Light Beach?

Nauset Beach is the long Orleans Atlantic beach; Nauset Light Beach is in Eastham below the lighthouse cliffs. Both catch east swell but have different access and crowd patterns.

What wind is best for Nauset Light Beach?

West to WNW offshore wind from roughly 235–305 degrees produces the cleanest surf.

Beach Wire

Wind + Swell Vector