Surf Matrix areas beaches NWS Wakefield

* EXPERIMENTAL - NOT FOR OPERATIONAL USE *

Experimental Surf Forecast Matrix

In the tabs below you can view Surf Forecast Matrices for various beaches over the Wakefield, VA forecast area. This product is experimental and not intended to be substituted for the official Surf Zone Forecast, which can be viewed HERE. Additional information on this project and variable definitions can be found HERE. We are seeking feedback on this over the next several months, so please send us your input via an online survey.

The Rip Probabilities included in the matrices below are from a rip current forecast model tied to NOAA's Nearshore Wave Prediction System. This model predicts the probabilities of hazardous rip currents occurring using output from the nearshore wave model and predicted tide levels. Values are calculated from 0-100%, hourly through 144 hours.

Maryland Beaches
Accomack-Northampton Beaches
Virginia Beach
Currituck Beaches

Maryland Beaches

Date               Sat 08/16                Sun 08/17
EDT 3hrly          11   14   17   20   23   02   05   08   11   14   17   20

Rip Current Risk  Mod  Mod  Mod                      Low  Low  Low  Low     
Rip Probability    30   21   29   43   34   23   27   36   24   13   15   29
Surf Height (ft)    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1
Dom Period (s)      4    5    5    5    5    5    5    5    5    5    5    5
Chance Precip       0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
TSTM Potential   None None None None None None None None None None None None
Cloud Cover      Pcld Pcld Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr
Temperature        77   78   78   76   75   74   73   74   77   79   79   77
Heat Index                                                                  
Wind (mph)        E12 NE10  E10   E8   E7  SE5   E3   N3  SE5  SE9  S12  S10
Wind Gust                                                                 15


Date               Mon 08/18           Tue 08/19           Wed 08/20           Thu 08/21
EDT 6hrly          02   08   14   20   02   08   14   20   02   08   14   20   02   08   14

Rip Probability    24   41   45   77   89   92   91   89   92   90   93   91   95   95   96
Surf Height (ft)    1    1    1    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    3    4    4    4    3
Dom Period (s)      9   16   15   15   14   13   14   14   15   15   15   16   17   17   15
Chance Precip       5    5   20   20   20   20   20   10   10   10   20   20   20   20   20
TSTM Potential   None None  Low None None None None None None None None None None None None
Cloud Cover      Pcld Pcld Pcld Mcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld
Temperature        75   74   77   76   74   73   75   74   74   74   76   75   73   72   75
Heat Index                                                                                 
Wind (mph)        SW7   N8 NE15 NE15  E14 NE14  E15  E14  E12  E13  E15 NE15 NE15 NE16 NE17
Wind Gust                    20   20             21   20             20   21   21   22   23

Accomack-Northampton Beaches

Date               Sat 08/16                Sun 08/17
EDT 3hrly          11   14   17   20   23   02   05   08   11   14   17   20

Rip Current Risk  Mod  Mod  Mod                      Low  Low  Low  Low     
Rip Probability    22   14   25   44   28   16   23   34   17    7   11   28
Surf Height (ft)    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2
Dom Period (s)      8    6    6    6    6    8    8    6    6    9    9    7
Chance Precip       0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
TSTM Potential   None None None None None None None None None None None None
Cloud Cover      Pcld Pcld Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr
Temperature        79   79   79   76   75   74   73   75   79   80   80   77
Heat Index                                                                  
Wind (mph)       NE12 NE12 NE12  E10   E8   E6  NE3  NE3   E5  SE8  S10  S10
Wind Gust                                                                   


Date               Mon 08/18           Tue 08/19           Wed 08/20           Thu 08/21
EDT 6hrly          02   08   14   20   02   08   14   20   02   08   14   20   02   08   14

Rip Probability    18   47   41   75   82   89   88   88   92   91   92   90   94   93   94
Surf Height (ft)    2    2    2    3    3    4    4    4    4    4    4    6    6    6    5
Dom Period (s)     10   15   15   14   13   13   13   14   15   15   15   16   17   17   15
Chance Precip       5    5   10   10   10   10   10   10   10   10   10   20   20   20   20
TSTM Potential   None None None None None None None None None None None None None None None
Cloud Cover      Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld
Temperature        75   76   79   76   74   75   77   75   74   74   77   75   73   72   76
Heat Index                                                                                 
Wind (mph)        SW8   N8 NE15 NE15 NE14 NE14  E16  E16  E13 NE13 NE16 NE17 NE16 NE17 NE18
Wind Gust                    20   20             22   21             21   23   22   23   24

Virginia Beach

Date               Sat 08/16                Sun 08/17
EDT 3hrly          11   14   17   20   23   02   05   08   11   14   17   20

Rip Current Risk  Mod  Mod  Mod                      Mod  Mod  Mod  Mod     
Rip Probability    19   16   22   28   23   17   19   26   19   11   11   18
Surf Height (ft)    3    3    3    3    3    2    2    2    2    2    2    2
Dom Period (s)      4    4    4    5    5    5    5    6    6    6    6    6
Chance Precip       5    5    5    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
TSTM Potential   None None None None None None None None None None None None
Cloud Cover      Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr
Temperature        78   78   79   77   75   75   75   75   77   78   78   77
Heat Index                                                                  
Wind (mph)       NE15 NE15 NE15 NE14  E12  NE9  NE8  NE8  NE8  NE8   E8  SE9
Wind Gust          20                                                       


Date               Mon 08/18           Tue 08/19           Wed 08/20           Thu 08/21
EDT 6hrly          02   08   14   20   02   08   14   20   02   08   14   20   02   08   14

Rip Probability     9   13    7   19   23   28   32   34   38   35   38   33   42   41   43
Surf Height (ft)    2    2    2    3    3    4    4    4    4    5    6    6    7    6    6
Dom Period (s)      6    6   15   14   13   12   13   14   15   15   15   16   17   16   15
Chance Precip       0    0   10    5   10   10   10    5    5    5   10   20   20   20   30
TSTM Potential   None None None None None None None None None None  Low  Low None None  Low
Cloud Cover      Mclr Mclr Mclr Pcld Mclr Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld
Temperature        75   76   79   77   76   75   77   76   75   76   78   76   75   75   76
Heat Index                                                                                 
Wind (mph)         S6   N6 NE12 NE14 NE14 NE14 NE16 NE16 NE14 NE15 NE18 NE18 NE18  N20 NE20
Wind Gust                                        21   21        20   24   23   24

Currituck Beaches

Date               Sat 08/16                Sun 08/17
EDT 3hrly          11   14   17   20   23   02   05   08   11   14   17   20

Rip Current Risk  Mod  Mod  Mod                      Mod  Mod  Mod  Mod     
Rip Probability    27   24   32   39   36   30   32   36   31   20   20   29
Surf Height (ft)    3    3    3    3    3    3    3    3    3    3    3    2
Dom Period (s)      8    4    4    5    5    6    6    6    6    6    6    6
Chance Precip       5   10   10    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0
TSTM Potential   None None None None None None None None None None None None
Cloud Cover      Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr
Temperature        78   78   79   77   76   75   75   76   77   78   78   77
Heat Index                                                                  
Wind (mph)       NE16 NE16 NE16 NE15 NE13 NE10 NE10 NE10 NE10  NE9  NE8   E8
Wind Gust          21   21   21                                             


Date               Mon 08/18           Tue 08/19           Wed 08/20           Thu 08/21
EDT 6hrly          02   08   14   20   02   08   14   20   02   08   14   20   02   08   14

Rip Probability    16   20   14   26   28   33   35   41   42   40   40   35   38   37   41
Surf Height (ft)    2    2    3    3    4    4    5    6    6    6    7    8    8    8    7
Dom Period (s)      6   10   15   14   13   12   13   14   15   15   15   16   17   16   15
Chance Precip       0    0   10    5    5   10   10   10   10    5   20   20   20   20   30
TSTM Potential   None None None None None None  Low None None None  Low  Low None None  Low
Cloud Cover      Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld
Temperature        76   77   79   78   76   77   78   77   76   76   78   76   76   74   76
Heat Index                                                                                 
Wind (mph)         S5   N6 NE12 NE13 NE13 NE15 NE16 NE16 NE15 NE16 NE18 NE18  N20  N20 NE20
Wind Gust                                        21             21   24   23        25   25

Surf Matrix areas beaches NWS Wakefield

*** EXPERIMENTAL - NOT FOR OPERATIONAL USE ***

* EXPERIMENTAL - NOT FOR OPERATIONAL USE *