Indian River Inlet
Hourly
Confidence
Compare
โฑ๏ธs.
โšก๏ธkJ
Friday 07
Saturday 08
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Wednesday 12
Tap a forecast cell to explore conditions on the map.
Timezone: America/New_York
Wind: GFS (20251107 12z)
Waves: GFS WAVE (20251107 12z)

Indian River Inlet surf guide

Indian River Inlet is a surf spot located in Delaware known for its strong, sometimes unpredictable waves. It features both north and south sides, which can offer decent surf opportunities when other nearby locations are flat. Access to the beach is straightforward, but there's a fee for parking โ€“ $4 for Delaware-registered vehicles and $8 for out-of-state cars. The vibe can be a bit tense on good days, as surfers flock to this spot, so be prepared for some potential crowding, even when the waves aren't perfect.

The surf here can handle swell sizes between 4 to 8 feet (about 1.2 to 2.4 meters) and works best with southeast swells. When there's a good push in the water, you'll find that waves can break to the right or left, and they tend to create beach and jetty breaks over sand. The best time to hit the water is when the tide is low, low to mid, or mid, especially with a southwest or west wind. Conditions can vary, but this spot is best suited for intermediate to expert surfers, mainly due to the challenging nature of the shorebreak and rocky features.

On certain days, especially during autumn or when tropical storms are around, you can find some solid surf here. The paddling can be manageable, but keep in mind that certain swells might make it a bit of a workout. Watch out for the potential hazards like deep-water fishing near the inlet. Overall, when conditions align, Indian River Inlet can offer some fun sessions for surfers looking to challenge themselves.

Surf reports and surf forecasts nearby Indian River Inlet

Dewey Beach
Delaware, United States
Beach break
Fri 7
Sat 8
Sun 9
Mon 10
Tue 11
Wed 12
Thu 13
Fri 14
Sat 15
Sun 16
Mon 17
Tue 18
Indian River Northside
Delaware, United States
Unknown break
Fri 7
Sat 8
Sun 9
Mon 10
Tue 11
Wed 12
Thu 13
Fri 14
Sat 15
Sun 16
Mon 17
Tue 18
Indian River Inlet
Delaware, United States
Beach break, Jetty break
Fri 7
Sat 8
Sun 9
Mon 10
Tue 11
Wed 12
Thu 13
Fri 14
Sat 15
Sun 16
Mon 17
Tue 18
Indian River Southside
Delaware, United States
Beach break
Fri 7
Sat 8
Sun 9
Mon 10
Tue 11
Wed 12
Thu 13
Fri 14
Sat 15
Sun 16
Mon 17
Tue 18
Bethany
Delaware, United States
Unknown break
Fri 7
Sat 8
Sun 9
Mon 10
Tue 11
Wed 12
Thu 13
Fri 14
Sat 15
Sun 16
Mon 17
Tue 18
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Confidence tells you how much the weather models agree on the forecast.

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We calculate the wind confidence by comparing wind speed, gust and direction from multiple models (like GFS, ECMWF, Arome, and Harmonie) and seeing how closely they match. For wave certainty we compare height, period and direction, also on multiple models. They are weighted, meaning that some models count more than others, depending on how good they are for a certain spot.

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Welcome! If youโ€™re new to surf forecasting, check out this quick guide.

Forecast Table

The forecast table (the section on the page with all the numbers) is designed to pack as much information in the screen as possible. Although intimidating at first, it will help you make informed decisions about the waves faster, trust me :D. The table consists of roughly four sections, time and predictions, wind, waves, and tides:

๐Ÿ”ฎ Time and predictions section

Here we show the forecast thour and the overall surf quality prediction. This is determined based on the wave, wind and tide quality prediction. These individual predictions can be found on the forecast map.

๐Ÿ’จ Wind section

The first row on the table (with the ๐Ÿ’จ icon) shows wind speed, direction and gust. The more the wind speed the more aggressive the color (from blue, green, orange to red).

๐ŸŒŠ Wave section

The waves section consists of three rows, one for wave height and direction, one for period and one for wave energy. Our algorithm choices the "dominant wave". This is normally the first swell partition, but with heavy local storms it displays the wind waves. If that's the case, we display the numbers in italic and in gray.

๐ŸŒ’ Tide section

The tide section consists of a row with the actual heights per hour (measured at the half hour) and a table that displays the flow of the tide and the extremes (lows and highs).

Forecast map

The forecast map consists of arrows. These arrows represent all wave partitions (swell partitions and wind wave partition) and the wind. This allows you to see things like: a secondary swell or wind waves messes up the surf, or the wind is just a tick offshore so very surfable. Click a metric label in the bottom left to bring that arrow to the front โ€” handy when arrows overlap.

Forecast Cheat Sheet

Short on time? Focus on wave energy. Itโ€™s the best single metric to gauge how big and powerful the waves will be.

Click any table cell to jump to that forecast hour. The map will update with forecast arrows, so you can see if wind and swell direction are lining up.

Use the table sidebar to switch units for height and speed.

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Surfnerd blends multiple global and local wind and swell models using advanced interpolation and spatial techniques to create an "ensemble" forecast. Forecasts are refreshed hourly.

Surf Predictions

Our AI-driven algorithm scores surf quality, shown by green, orange, and gray dots. Each forecast hour is rated for wind, swell, and tide quality, then combined into an overall score. Hereโ€™s the scale:

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