Surf spot

Higgins Beach

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

Country: USA, North East, Northern New England
Coordinates: 43.5599, -70.2778

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)	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.5	0.6	0.5	0.4	0.6	0.8	0.7	0.8	0.7	0.6	0.5	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4
Wave direction	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	ENE	E	E	ESE	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE
Wave period (s)	4.5	4.8	5.2	5.3	5.2	5.1	5.4	5	5	5.6	5.3	5.2	5.3	5.3	6.7	3	3.5	3.5	3.6	4	4	4	4	3.9	3.9	4	3.6	4.5	5.3	5.5	6	5.7	5.4	5.3	5.4	5.5	3.7	4.2	4.4	3.6	4.3	5.7	5	4.9	5	5.3	7.5	5.2	6.2	6	5.5	5.4	5.4	5.3	5.3	5.3
Wave energy (kJ)	4	3	4	4	4	4	4	2	2	4	4	4	3	3	4	2	7	8	6	5	12	21	18	18	13	10	6	7	15	14	12	10	8	7	7	5	2	5	7	2	2	3	3	3	3	4	6	3	4	6	10	10	10	10	9	8
Wind speed (km/h)	6.3	8.2	7.3	8.9	6.4	7.9	6.8	6.4	6	6.6	5.1	9.1	14.4	14.5	10.8	12.5	12.3	8.5	10.1	15.2	14.1	8.3	2.2	5.1	6.9	7.1	9.2	14.6	15.6	20.2	12.2	12.3	6.9	5.2	3.1	11.7	15.8	14.2	15.6	18.3	15.3	13.7	13.4	13.4	10.2	7	9.2	6.9	6.5	5.9	9.9	9.4	7.2	8.1	6	6.4
Wind direction	NNWCross-off	NNWOffshore	NNWCross-off	NWCross-off	NWCross-off	NWCross-off	NOffshore	NWCross-off	WNWCross-off	WCross	WCross	SOnshore	SSEOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	SSWOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SGlassy	SOnshore	NOffshore	NNWOffshore	NNWOffshore	NNWOffshore	NNWOffshore	NOffshore	NOffshore	NOffshore	NOffshore	NNEOffshore	ENEGlassy	SSEOnshore	SSEOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	NECross-off	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	NECross-off	NECross-off	NNECross-off	NNEOffshore	NNEOffshore	NNEOffshore	NNEOffshore	NNEOffshore

Higgins Beach is a classic New England beach break in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, just south of Portland on the North Atlantic coast of the USA.

Surf character

Type: Sandy beach break
Wave quality: Fun and playful when it’s working, with occasionally clean, surfable peaks
Best conditions: Usually best with a northwest wind and a solid swell from the northeast or east
Swell exposure: Good exposure to North Atlantic storms, so it can pick up winter swells well

What it’s like

The wave shape can be fast and punchy on a good swell, but it’s not always perfectly organized.
Expect a crowd when conditions are good, especially in the warmer months.
It can be a good spot for longboarders and intermediate surfers on smaller days, while bigger winter swells can make it more powerful and challenging.

Conditions and season

Fall and winter often bring the most consistent and powerful surf.
Summer tends to be smaller and more mellow, but can still offer rideable waves after storms.
Water is cold year-round, so wetsuit use is essential:
Summer: usually a spring suit or full suit depending on temps
Fall/spring: thicker full suit
Winter: heavy hooded wetsuit, boots, gloves, and hood

Hazards / notes

Cold water is the biggest constant factor.
Shorebreak and changing sandbars can create closeouts or stronger currents on bigger days.
Winter conditions can be harsh, with strong winds and icy air.