Rockaway Beach Alert Guide

New York, USA · part of the Rockaway Beach spot guide

The New York Harbor Entrance buoy (44065) sits about 26 km southwest at the harbour mouth and reports wind as well as waves, so a live-observation alert with an offshore-wind gate is sound. The height below is the buoy’s open-ocean reading — expect a smaller face at Rockaway after the wrap around Long Island.

The forecaster's checklist

1. 1.Look for a distant swell source first — a hurricane or tropical system offshore (August–October) or a coastal nor’easter (November–March).
2. 2.Read the buoy (44065) for a building height with period of 9 seconds or more and direction from the south-southeast (about 120–200°).
3. 3.Favour a north-to-northwest offshore wind; the same swell is a different day on a northwest morning versus a southwest sea-breeze afternoon.
4. 4.Target low-to-mid tide, and pick your groin bank — mind the submerged pilings around Beach 91st to 93rd Street.
5. 5.Discount the open-ocean height for the Long Island refraction loss, and have a rip plan on the bigger, groin-channeled days.

Local winds & tide

Best wind: N–NW offshore — from 300° to 30° (WNW–NNE).

Tides matter — low-to-mid tide is generally best as the sandbars work there, though if the waves are good any tide can work; very high tide gets fat and soft.

Dial it in