Surf spot

The Cross (Pensacola Beach)

Forecast conditions and map view for The Cross (Pensacola Beach) in USA, Gulf Coast, Florida. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, Gulf Coast, Florida
Coordinates: 30.3285, -87.1583

Metric
Metric	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00
Wave height (m)	0.5	0.4	0.3	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.4	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.4	0.1	0.4	0.6	0.5
Wave direction	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SW	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	SE	SE	ESE	ESE	SE	SE	ESE	ESE	SE	SE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	SE	ESE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE
Wave period (s)	3.2	3.1	3	2.8	2.8	2.8	2.6	3.6	5.8	6.2	5.8	5.4	4.5	4.5	5	5	5	4.9	4.8	4.7	4.7	5	5	5.4	5.8	5.7	5.7	5.8	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.8	6	6.1	3.5	4	4	4	4.6	4.3	4.3	4.4	4.6	4.9	4.8	4.3	4.5	3.8	4.2	4.2	4.3	4.5	5.2	4.3	3.5	3.5
Wave energy (kJ)	6	3	2	2	2	1	1	1	1	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	1	2	1	2	2	2	2	3	3	3	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	6	13	11	9	6	10	9	24	29	30	23	14	6	10	9	12	6	1	5	8	7
Wind speed (km/h)	7.2	8	6.6	9.9	11.4	14.6	13	8.9	7.3	5	5.4	5.5	3.3	15.2	10.9	7.9	6.3	4.6	6.6	5.8	3.8	14.2	13.2	6.1	7	7.4	7	6.4	5.9	13.9	5.1	9.5	11.5	14.4	14.9	19.2	17.1	13.4	9.4	11	5.8	10.7	10.9	14.7	15.6	11.9	10.2	7.3	10.5	8.6	8.1	10.7	13.5	10	11	10.1
Wind direction	SWCross-off	SWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WOffshore	SWOffshore	SWOffshore	SWOffshore	SWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WNWCross-off	WCross-off	SGlassy	SSWCross-off	SWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WNWCross-off	WNWGlassy	NNWCross	NCross-on	ESEGlassy	SSWCross-off	SWOffshore	WOffshore	WNWCross-off	NWCross-off	NWCross	NNECross-on	EOnshore	SSECross	SCross	SSECross	EOnshore	EOnshore	EOnshore	EOnshore	SECross-on	ESECross-on	EOnshore	ESECross-on	EOnshore	ENEOnshore	NEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	NNWCross	NNECross-on	ENEOnshore	NEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ECross-on	ESECross-on	NNECross-on	EOnshore

The Cross (Pensacola Beach, Florida, USA) is a small Gulf Coast beachbreak on Pensacola Beach known more for casual surf sessions than big, reliable waves. Like many spots along Florida’s Gulf Coast, it’s highly dependent on swell from the Gulf, so conditions can be inconsistent and often best after a strong storm system or a decent tropical swell.

What it’s like

Wave type: Mostly soft beachbreak peaks over sand
Wave quality: Can be fun when it’s on, but usually short-period and a bit mushy
Best size: Typically small to moderate surf; larger swells can get disorganized
Consistency: Low to moderate — depends heavily on weather and swell angle

Best conditions

Swell direction: Works best with Gulf swells, especially from storms or tropical systems
Wind: Usually likes light offshore or calm winds; onshore Gulf winds can make it messy fast
Tide: Can vary by sandbars, but mid tide is often a good starting point

Crowd and vibe

Generally a local surf spot with a laid-back feel
Crowds are usually smaller than major surf destinations, though popular when the Gulf is firing
Water conditions are often more about fun, friendly waves than high-performance surfing

Things to keep in mind

Sandbars can shift frequently, so the best peak may change after storms
Watch for strong currents, shorebreak, and changing weather
In summer, be mindful of lightning during Gulf storms