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               Wed 07/17                Thu 07/18
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    50   43   40   58   72   66   52   50   56   45   29   30
Surf Height (ft)    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    1
Dom Period (s)      6    6    6    6    6    7    7    7    7    7    7    7
Chance Precip       5   10   20   60   60   60   50   40   50   50   40   20
TSTM Potential   None None  Low High  Mod  Mod None None  Low  Mod  Low None
Cloud Cover      Pcld Pcld Pcld Mcld  Cld  Cld Mcld Mcld Mcld Mcld Mcld Mcld
Temperature        79   80   79   77   76   74   74   74   76   76   75   76
Heat Index                                                 80               
Wind (mph)       SW15  S18  S20  S20 SW15 SW12 SW10   W9  NW7  NW8   N6  NE6
Wind Gust          21   24   26   25   20                                   


Date               Fri 07/19           Sat 07/20           Sun 07/21           Mon 07/22
EDT 6hrly          02   08   14   20   02   08   14   20   02   08   14   20   02   08   14

Rip Probability    49   31   39   22   45   31   53   22   45   26   46   16   41   21   44
Surf Height (ft)    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1    1
Dom Period (s)      7    7    7    6    6    6    8    8    8    7    7    9    9    9    9
Chance Precip      10    5    5    5   10   20   20   20   20   20   20   20   30   20   30
TSTM Potential   None None None None None None None None None None None None None None  Mod
Cloud Cover      Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Mcld Mcld Mcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Mcld Pcld
Temperature        71   71   77   75   71   72   79   76   72   72   79   77   73   73   79
Heat Index                             75                                                  
Wind (mph)        NW6  N12  NE9  SE6  SE3   E5  SE7  SE7  SW6  NW3  SE7   S7  SW6   E6  SE9
Wind Gust

Accomack-Northampton Beaches

Date               Wed 07/17                Thu 07/18
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    64   48   44   67   84   76   60   64   73   55   30   35
Surf Height (ft)    2    2    3    3    3    3    3    2    2    2    2    2
Dom Period (s)      6    6    6    6    6    7    7    7    7    7    7    8
Chance Precip       5   10   20   50   60   60   50   40   50   50   50   30
TSTM Potential   None None  Low  Mod  Mod  Mod  Low  Low  Mod  Mod  Mod None
Cloud Cover      Pcld Pcld Pcld Mcld Mcld  Cld Mcld Mcld Mcld Mcld Mcld Mcld
Temperature        80   81   80   77   76   75   75   75   79   78   77   77
Heat Index                                                                  
Wind (mph)       SW15  S18  S20  S21 SW17 SW14 SW13 SW10   W9   W9   N7  NE7
Wind Gust          21   24   26   28   22                                   


Date               Fri 07/19           Sat 07/20           Sun 07/21           Mon 07/22
EDT 6hrly          02   08   14   20   02   08   14   20   02   08   14   20   02   08   14

Rip Probability    58   35   44   20   49   25   56   21   56   25   58   13   58   22   59
Surf Height (ft)    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2
Dom Period (s)      7    7    7    8    6    8    6    8    8    7    7    9    9    9    9
Chance Precip      20   10   10   10   20   20   30   30   30   20   30   30   30   20   40
TSTM Potential   None None None None None None None  Low  Low None  Low  Low None None  Mod
Cloud Cover      Mcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Mcld Mcld Mcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Mcld Pcld
Temperature        72   72   78   76   72   73   79   77   73   73   80   78   74   74   80
Heat Index                             76                       77                         
Wind (mph)         N6  N10 NE10   E7  SE3   E6  SE8  SE7  SW6  NW5  SE8   S8  SW7   W6  SE9
Wind Gust

Virginia Beach

Date               Wed 07/17                Thu 07/18
EDT 3hrly          11   14   17   20   23   02   05   08   11   14   17   20

Rip Current Risk  Low  Low  Low                      Low  Low  Low  Low     
Rip Probability     6    4    3    5   10    7    4    4    5    3    1    2
Surf Height (ft)    2    2    3    3    3    3    3    3    2    2    2    2
Dom Period (s)      8    8    8    5    5    7    7    7    7    7    7    7
Chance Precip      20   30   40   40   50   60   50   50   70   80   80   60
TSTM Potential   None  Mod  Mod  Mod  Mod  Mod  Low  Low  Mod High High  Low
Cloud Cover      Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Mcld Mcld Mcld Mcld Mcld Mcld Mcld  Cld
Temperature        83   86   84   81   80   79   78   78   80   79   78   79
Heat Index         91   95   91   87   84                  84   83          
Wind (mph)       SW16  S17  S18  S17 SW16 SW16 SW16 SW14 SW12 SW10  W10   W9
Wind Gust          21   23   24   23   22   21   21                         


Date               Fri 07/19           Sat 07/20           Sun 07/21           Mon 07/22
EDT 6hrly          02   08   14   20   02   08   14   20   02   08   14   20   02   08   14

Rip Probability     3    2    8    3    6    2    6    2    8    3   10    2    8    2    7
Surf Height (ft)    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2
Dom Period (s)      8    8    8    8    8    6    6    7    8    7    7    7    8    8    9
Chance Precip      40   30   30   30   40   50   60   50   40   30   50   40   40   40   50
TSTM Potential    Low None None None None None  Mod  Mod  Low None  Mod  Mod  Low None  Mod
Cloud Cover       Cld Mcld Mcld Pcld Pcld Mcld Mcld Mcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Mcld
Temperature        76   75   79   78   75   75   80   78   75   76   82   80   76   76   82
Heat Index                                  79   85   82             87   84             88
Wind (mph)        NW7  N10 NE10   E8  SE6  SE7   S8   S8  SW8   W8   S8   S9  SW8   W7   S8
Wind Gust

Currituck Beaches

Date               Wed 07/17                Thu 07/18
EDT 3hrly          11   14   17   20   23   02   05   08   11   14   17   20

Rip Current Risk  Low  Low  Low                      Low  Low  Low  Low     
Rip Probability     5    3    3    6    8    5    3    3    4    3    2    2
Surf Height (ft)    2    2    3    3    3    3    3    3    2    2    2    2
Dom Period (s)      9    9    9    9    9    9    9    9    9    9    9    9
Chance Precip      20   30   30   40   50   60   60   50   70   80   80   70
TSTM Potential   None  Mod  Mod  Mod  Mod  Mod  Low  Low  Mod High High  Mod
Cloud Cover      Pcld Pcld Pcld Pcld Mcld Mcld Mcld Mcld Mcld Mcld  Cld  Cld
Temperature        81   83   82   79   79   78   78   78   79   80   79   80
Heat Index         87   90   87                            83   85        84
Wind (mph)       SW16  S17  S18  S18 SW17 SW16 SW15 SW13 SW12 SW12 SW10  W10
Wind Gust          21   23   24   24   23   22   20                         


Date               Fri 07/19           Sat 07/20           Sun 07/21           Mon 07/22
EDT 6hrly          02   08   14   20   02   08   14   20   02   08   14   20   02   08   14

Rip Probability     2    2    6    3    6    4    6    2    9    5   11    3    8    3    8
Surf Height (ft)    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2    2
Dom Period (s)      9    9    9    9    9    8    8    8    8    8    8    9    9    9    9
Chance Precip      50   40   50   40   50   60   60   50   50   40   50   50   50   40   50
TSTM Potential    Low None None None None None  Mod  Mod  Low None  Mod  Mod  Low None  Mod
Cloud Cover       Cld Mcld Mcld Pcld Mcld Mcld Mcld Mcld Mcld Pcld Pcld Mcld Mcld Pcld Pcld
Temperature        76   75   79   78   75   76   80   78   75   76   81   79   76   76   82
Heat Index                             79   80   84   82   79        87   83   80   80   89
Wind (mph)         W7   N9  NE9   E7  SE5   S6  SW8   S8  SW7   W8   S8   S8  SW7   W7   S8
Wind Gust