Surf spot

Popham - Read

Forecast conditions and map view for Popham - Read 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: 43.7339, -69.7955

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	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.4	0.5	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.6	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	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	SE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	SE	ESE	ESE	ESE	SE	SE	ESE	ESE
Wave period (s)	5.8	6.2	6.2	5.5	5.5	5.6	5.5	5.5	4	3.9	3.9	6	4.5	4	3.7	3.7	4	4.3	4	4.4	4.9	6	6	6	5.7	5.7	5.8	5.8	5.8	5.8	5.1	5.4	5.8	5	5.2	5.1	5	5.7	5.7	6	5.8	5.7	5.6	5.5	5.3	5.2	5.2	5.2	5.5	5.3	5.3	5.3	5.3	5.2	4.9	4.9
Wave energy (kJ)	8	10	11	7	6	6	5	4	7	8	10	10	9	21	17	13	12	10	13	14	16	18	20	17	15	13	11	9	7	8	8	7	6	5	5	5	4	8	10	17	19	20	20	19	15	15	12	11	9	10	11	10	10	8	8	8
Wind speed (km/h)	8.5	8.7	7	12.4	16.1	16.6	15.9	17.3	17.1	13.9	15.7	14.7	19.5	12.2	9.4	10.1	12.6	13.6	11.9	20	24.7	15.5	20.1	15.9	12.2	12.6	10.7	3.6	13.8	11.2	11.8	10.3	6.1	2.9	4	13.6	12	10.9	9.8	9.1	11.6	12.3	12.1	21.9	29.4	32.4	24.8	8.4	8.3	5.1	17.6	16.4	6.5	6.4	8.3	10
Wind direction	NWCross-off	NWCross-off	NWCross-off	SOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SSWCross-on	SWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SSWCross-on	NWCross-off	NNWOffshore	NNWOffshore	NNWOffshore	NNWOffshore	NNWOffshore	NNWOffshore	NOffshore	NNECross-off	NNECross-off	SEGlassy	SOnshore	SOnshore	SSEOnshore	SSEOnshore	WCross	SSEGlassy	SGlassy	SSEOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SOnshore	SSWOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SSWOnshore	SSWCross-on	NWCross-off	SOnshore	NECross-off	NECross-off	NECross-off	ESECross-on	SECross-on	ENECross	NECross-off

Popham Beach – Read, USA (Northern New England / Northeast)

Popham Beach in Phippsburg, Maine is one of the best-known surf beaches in Northern New England. It’s a long, scenic sand beach at the mouth of the Kennebec River, exposed to Atlantic swell and often producing fun, clean waves when conditions line up. The setting is classic Maine: wide tidal flats, shifting sandbars, and a rugged coastal backdrop.

Wave type

Mainly beachbreak
Can offer fast, punchy peaks and occasional longer lines on the right sandbar setup
Shape changes frequently with tides and storms

Best swell

Handles groundswells from the NE, E, and SE
Also can pick up smaller N/ENE swells
Best size is usually small to medium, though it can get much bigger during storms

Wind

Westerly winds are generally cleaner
Offshore or lighter conditions are ideal
Northerly and easterly winds often make it messy

Tide

Very tide-sensitive
Sandbars can work best at mid to mid-high tide, but this varies a lot
Some sections may become too shallow or weak at the wrong tide

Crowd / vibe

Popular with local surfers and beachgoers
Can get crowded on good days, but Maine’s surf scene is still relatively low-key compared with more populated coastal areas

Hazards

Strong tidal currents near the river mouth
Shifting sandbars and shallow sections
Cold water much of the year, so wetsuits are usually necessary
Winter conditions can be harsh and powerful

Best season

Fall and winter often bring the most consistent and powerful surf
Summer can be smaller, but more user-friendly
Spring can be variable with leftover storm energy

Overall

Popham is a solid New England surf spot with the potential for fun, punchy beachbreak surf and a beautiful coastal setting. It’s best for surfers who are comfortable reading sandbars, tides, and changing conditions.