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               Tue 05/20      Wed 05/21                               Thu 05/22
EDT 3hrly          17   20   23   02   05   08   11   14   17   20   23   02   05   08   11   14

Rip Current Risk                           Mod  Mod  Mod  Mod                      Mod  Mod  Mod
Rip Probability     9   16   16   15   27   65   79   74   76   87   87   73   70   80   81   66
Surf Height (ft)    1    1    1    1    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2
Dom Period (s)      6    7    7    9    9    4    4    5    5    6    6    6    6    7    7    7
Chance Precip       0    0    5    5   20  100   90   80   80   80   80   80   80   30   30   50
TSTM Potential   None None None None None None  Low  Low None  Low  Low None None None None  Low
Cloud Cover      Pcld Mcld Pcld Mcld  Cld  Cld  Cld  Cld  Cld  Cld  Cld Mcld Mcld Pcld Pcld Pcld
Temperature        63   61   61   61   59   59   60   60   61   60   60   60   59   61   65   67
Heat Index                                                                                      
Wind (mph)         E8  SE9 SE10 SE12  E14 SE20 SE22  E22  E24  E22  E20  E13  NE9 NW12  W10  W12
Wind Gust                                   26   29   30   33   30   26                         


Date                         Fri 05/23           Sat 05/24           Sun 05/25
EDT 6hrly          17   23   05   11   17   23   05   11   17   23   05   11   17

Rip Probability    55   76   50   66   31   58   31   49   18   22    9   15    6
Surf Height (ft)    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    1    1    1    1    1    1
Dom Period (s)      7    7    8    8    8    8    9    9    9    8    8    8    8
Chance Precip      50   40   30   20   20   10   10    5    5    5    5   10   20
TSTM Potential   None None None None None None None None None None None None None
Cloud Cover      Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Pcld Mclr Mclr Pcld Pcld
Temperature        67   61   58   64   65   59   56   61   64   60   57   64   66
Heat Index                                                                       
Wind (mph)        W12   W9   W9  W12  W12 NW10  W12  W13 NW12  NW9  NW9  W10   W9
Wind Gust

Accomack-Northampton Beaches

Date               Tue 05/20      Wed 05/21                               Thu 05/22
EDT 3hrly          17   20   23   02   05   08   11   14   17   20   23   02   05   08   11   14

Rip Current Risk                           Mod  Mod  Mod  Mod                      Mod  Mod  Mod
Rip Probability     6   15   13   11   27   66   75   60   64   82   80   55   52   74   74   43
Surf Height (ft)    2    1    2    2    2    2    3    3    3    3    3    3    3    3    3    2
Dom Period (s)      9    9    9    9    9    4    4    5    5    6    6    6    6    7    7    7
Chance Precip       0    0    5    5   30  100   90   70   70   70   70   60   60   20   20   50
TSTM Potential   None None None None None None  Low None None  Low  Low None None None None  Low
Cloud Cover      Pcld Pcld Pcld Mcld  Cld  Cld  Cld  Cld  Cld  Cld  Cld Mcld Mcld Pcld Pcld Pcld
Temperature        64   62   61   61   60   60   62   63   63   61   62   62   60   63   68   70
Heat Index                                                                                      
Wind (mph)         E9 SE10 SE10 SE13  E15  E21 SE22  E23  E25  E23  E18  E10  NW8 NW13  W12  W13
Wind Gust                    15        21   28   30   30   33   30   25                         


Date                         Fri 05/23           Sat 05/24           Sun 05/25
EDT 6hrly          17   23   05   11   17   23   05   11   17   23   05   11   17

Rip Probability    32   68   31   63   19   61   20   46   10   22    6   17    5
Surf Height (ft)    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    1    1    2
Dom Period (s)      7    7    8    8    8    8    8    9    9    8    8    8    8
Chance Precip      50   40   30   20   20   10    5    5    5    5    5   10   20
TSTM Potential   None None None None None None None None None None None None None
Cloud Cover      Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Pcld Pcld
Temperature        70   63   59   65   66   61   57   63   66   62   59   65   68
Heat Index                                                                       
Wind (mph)        W13  W12  W10  W12  W12 NW10 NW12 NW14 NW13  NW9  NW9  W10   W9
Wind Gust                                   15

Virginia Beach

Date               Tue 05/20      Wed 05/21                               Thu 05/22
EDT 3hrly          17   20   23   02   05   08   11   14   17   20   23   02   05   08   11   14

Rip Current Risk                           Mod  Mod  Mod  Mod                      Mod  Mod  Mod
Rip Probability     9   14   14   10   15   28   29   24   23   27   26   19   19   30   34   25
Surf Height (ft)    2    2    2    2    3    4    4    4    4    3    3    3    3    3    3    3
Dom Period (s)      4    5    5    6    6    4    4    5    5    6    6    6    6    6    6    7
Chance Precip       0    5    5   20   60   90   90   60   50   50   50   20   20    5    5   30
TSTM Potential   None None None None  Low  Low  Low  Mod  Low  Mod  Low None None None None None
Cloud Cover      Mclr Pcld Pcld Mcld  Cld  Cld  Cld Mcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Mclr Mclr
Temperature        68   66   65   65   64   64   67   71   72   70   68   67   65   66   71   75
Heat Index                                                                                      
Wind (mph)        NE8   E9  E14 SE16 SE18 SE23 SE24 SE21  E13 NE12  NE9  NW9  W15  W16  W15  W15
Wind Gust                         22   23   30   31   26                       20   22   21   20


Date                         Fri 05/23           Sat 05/24           Sun 05/25
EDT 6hrly          17   23   05   11   17   23   05   11   17   23   05   11   17

Rip Probability    21   34   20   32   14   31   17   29    8   18    7   13    4
Surf Height (ft)    3    3    3    3    3    3    3    3    3    2    2    2    2
Dom Period (s)      7    7    7    8    8    8    8    8    9    9    9    8    8
Chance Precip      30   30   20   10   20   10    5    5    5    5   10   10   30
TSTM Potential   None None None None None None None None None None None None None
Cloud Cover      Mclr Pcld Pcld Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Pcld Pcld
Temperature        76   68   63   67   70   65   60   65   70   66   63   69   71
Heat Index                                                                       
Wind (mph)        W15  W14  W14  W14  W13 NW13 NW14 NW14 NW12  NW9  NW9 NW10  SW9
Wind Gust          20

Currituck Beaches

Date               Tue 05/20      Wed 05/21                               Thu 05/22
EDT 3hrly          17   20   23   02   05   08   11   14   17   20   23   02   05   08   11   14

Rip Current Risk                           Mod  Mod  Mod  Mod                      Mod  Mod  Mod
Rip Probability    10   16   17   17   24   35   34   27   23   28   26   18   18   30   34   25
Surf Height (ft)    3    2    3    3    4    4    4    4    4    3    3    3    3    3    3    3
Dom Period (s)      4    6    6    8    8    4    4    5    5    6    6    6    6    6    6    7
Chance Precip       0    5    5   10   50   80   90   60   50   40   40   10   10    5    5   30
TSTM Potential   None None None None  Low  Low  Low  Mod  Mod  Mod  Mod None None None None None
Cloud Cover      Mclr Pcld Pcld Mcld Mcld  Cld  Cld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Mclr Mclr
Temperature        68   66   66   66   66   66   70   73   74   72   70   68   67   67   71   75
Heat Index                                                                                      
Wind (mph)        NE9  E10  E14  E16  E17 SE23 SE23 SE17  SE9   N9   N8  NW9 NW15  W16  W15  W15
Wind Gust                         21   23   30   30   23                            21   20     


Date                         Fri 05/23           Sat 05/24           Sun 05/25
EDT 6hrly          17   23   05   11   17   23   05   11   17   23   05   11   17

Rip Probability    22   37   21   33   15   33   16   30   11   21    9   15    5
Surf Height (ft)    3    3    3    3    3    3    3    3    3    2    2    2    2
Dom Period (s)      7    7    7    8    8    8    8    9    9    9    9    9    9
Chance Precip      30   30   20   10   10   10    5    5    0    5   10   10   30
TSTM Potential   None None None None None None None None None None None None None
Cloud Cover      Mclr Pcld Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr Mclr  Clr Pcld Mclr Mclr Pcld Pcld
Temperature        76   69   64   68   71   66   62   65   70   67   65   69   72
Heat Index                                                                       
Wind (mph)        W15  W12  W13  W13  W12 NW12 NW13 NW12  NW9  NW8  NW8   W8   S8
Wind Gust