Surf spot

Poverty Beach

Forecast conditions and map view for Poverty Beach in USA, North East, New Jersey. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, North East, New Jersey
Coordinates: 38.9322, -74.9441

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)	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2
Wave direction	SSE	SE	SE	SE	ENE	E	SE	E	ESE	SE	SE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SE	SE	SSE	SE	SSE	SSE	ESE	ESE	NNW	NNW	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	E	E	E	E	E	ESE	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	E
Wave period (s)	4	4.3	6	5.3	2.6	2.8	4.1	3.6	3.2	3.1	3.3	3.5	3.6	3.8	3.5	6.3	7.3	4.9	5	4.2	4.5	7.3	6.8	3.1	3	4.3	4.3	4.7	4.3	3.6	4.8	4.9	3.6	4.1	4	4.7	4.5	4.7	4.5	4.6	5.5	5.3	5.2	5.2	5.3	5.3	5.3	4.9	5.1	5.4	4.7	4.8	4.9	4.8	4.8	4.9
Wave energy (kJ)	1	1	1	1	0	1	2	1	3	5	5	4	5	3	2	5	5	3	3	2	2	4	4	1	0	3	3	4	5	4	6	7	6	6	6	7	7	6	7	6	8	8	8	8	8	8	7	5	6	5	5	4	4	3	3	2
Wind speed (km/h)	6.9	9.7	13.9	18.5	18.5	18.7	19.1	20.9	17.3	14.2	18.1	10.4	9.8	6.1	9.4	9.7	8.1	16	24.4	24.5	16.2	21.5	12.1	18.3	18.1	17.6	15.8	22.2	20.8	19.5	16.4	16.3	11.3	12	12.5	14.8	13.3	11.9	11.8	11.3	7.5	4.6	4	9.7	11.6	17.3	15.2	16.6	16.4	15.3	16.9	19.4	20.1	22	18	12.2
Wind direction	ECross	ECross	ECross	SECross-on	SECross-on	SECross-on	SECross-on	SECross-on	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	WCross	WCross	WCross	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	WSWCross-on	WNWCross	NNWOffshore	NOffshore	NNWOffshore	NNWCross-off	NNEOffshore	NNEOffshore	NNECross-off	NECross-off	NECross-off	ENECross-off	ENECross	ENECross-off	ENECross	ECross	ENECross-off	NECross-off	NECross-off	ENECross	ECross	ECross	ESECross-on	ESECross-on	ESECross-on	SEGlassy	EGlassy	SSECross-on	SSEOnshore	SSEOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	WCross	NWCross-off	NOffshore	NNEOffshore	NNEOffshore

Poverty Beach is a fun, exposed beachbreak on the southern end of Cape May, New Jersey. It’s one of the better-known surf spots in the North East for consistent swell exposure and relatively clean, peaky waves when conditions line up.

Quick description

Type: Beachbreak
Wave quality: Can be very good on the right swell, with hollow, punchy peaks and occasional longer runners
Best swell: East to southeast swell, with some north or northeast swell also working
Best wind: West or northwest offshore winds
Tide: Often best around mid tide, though it can work through a range depending on sandbars
Crowd: Can get crowded, especially when conditions are good
Skill level: Intermediate to advanced when it’s solid; smaller days are more beginner-friendly but still can have strong currents

What it’s like

Poverty Beach is known for its shifting sandbars, so the surf quality can change a lot from week to week or even day to day. When the bars are right, it can offer fast, playful waves with good shape. On bigger swells, it can get steep and powerful, with challenging takeoffs and strong shorebreak.

Conditions and hazards

Rip currents: Common, especially during larger surf
Sandbars: Constantly changing, which affects wave shape and safety
Crowds: Expect a local lineup when it’s firing
Cold water: Typical of New Jersey surf, so a wetsuit is usually needed much of the year

Best time to surf

Fall: Often the most reliable and best-quality surf season in New Jersey
Winter: Can be powerful and very good, but cold and more demanding
Summer: Usually smaller and softer, but still surfable on good days

Overall vibe

Poverty Beach is a classic New Jersey beachbreak: inconsistent enough to keep you checking it, but capable of producing very good surf when the sand and swell cooperate. It’s a solid spot for surfers who like punchy beachbreak waves and don’t mind a bit of local competition in the water.