Ocean County, NJ · Atlantic Ocean

Island Beach State Park

10 miles of virtually undeveloped barrier beach below Seaside Park — one of the last pristine stretches of Atlantic barrier on the East Coast. 21 beaches total; #1 and #2 are lifeguarded with showers and a snack bar, the rest are wild and quiet. Fills to capacity almost every summer weekend by 9-10 AM.

Today's Conditions

Skip the beach today.

61% rain · NWS alert active · 76°F water

Full NWS forecast for This Afternoon

Patchy smoke and a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 5pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Some of the storms could be severe. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. South wind around 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

Tonight

Showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11pm and 5am. Some of the storms could be severe. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind 15 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

Weather

80°F air — ideal beach weather
61% rain — rain likely at some point
20 mph wind — breezy — anchor everything

Water

76°F water — warm — full-day swim weather
3.9ft waves — real surf — fun for confident swimmers, dicey for kids

Safety

NWS alert active — special marine warning issued july 18 at 4:02pm edt until july 18 at 6:00pm edt by nws mount holly nj

33 /100

skip

12 Swim

25 Sunbathe

40 Walk

38 Fish

60 Photo

Best for photography today

Water level 0.7 ft above predicted

Observed water level is running higher than the astronomical tide prediction. Expect a narrower beach, faster-rising water, and stronger near-shore currents than the tide chart suggests.

NOAA station 8534720 · Observed 1.02 ft · Predicted 0.35 ft

Small Craft Small Craft Advisory

Small Craft Advisory issued July 18 at 2:13AM EDT until July 19 at 4:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

NWS · In effect through Jul 19, 8:00 AM

Full NWS statement

* WHAT...Southwest winds 15 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt and seas 3 to 6 ft expected. * WHERE...Coastal waters from Sandy Hook to Manasquan Inlet NJ out 20 NM, Coastal waters from Manasquan Inlet to Little Egg Inlet NJ out 20 NM, Coastal waters from Little Egg Inlet to Great Egg Inlet NJ out 20 NM and Coastal waters from Great Egg Inlet to Cape May NJ out 20 NM. * WHEN...From noon today to 4 AM EDT Sunday. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.

Weather alert in effect

Special Marine Warning issued July 18 at 4:02PM EDT until July 18 at 6:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Tornado Watch issued July 18 at 1:55PM EDT until July 18 at 9:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Get Directions View on Google Maps Open in Apple Maps

Atmosphere

Air Temp

80°F

Patchy Smoke

Wind

20 mph

Rain

61%

This Afternoon

UV Peak

5 Moderate

Peaks 02 PM · burn in ~40m

Burn-free before 01 PM & after 04 PM

Tomorrow

80°F

Mostly Sunny

Water

Water Temp

76°F

Swimming weather

Next High Tide

11:41 PM

4.6 ft · in 2.7h

Wave Height

3.9 ft

5s · S swell

Water Quality

Clean

3 cfu/100mL · Fecal Coliform

USGS · sampled 7mo ago

Rip Current Risk · Regional Reference

No zone-specific NWS forecast for this beach (ANZ451)

The PHI office's Surf Zone Forecast doesn't cover this beach's forecast zone directly. Nearby coastal zones it does cover are listed below — regional reference only, not a substitute for the conditions at this specific beach.

NJZ014 Eastern Monmouth — Sandy Hook Low
NJZ026 Coastal Ocean — Long Beach Island Low
NJZ025 Coastal Atlantic — Atlantic City Low
NJZ024 Atlantic Coastal Cape May — Ocean City Low
DEZ004 Delaware Beaches — Rehoboth Beach Low

NWS SRF · PHI · Issued Jul 18, 7:42 PM

Sun & Moon

Sunrise

5:42 AM

Sunset

8:22 PM

Moon · 18%

Waxing Crescent

Neap tides — smaller range

Tides

Time	Type	Height
5:18 AM	Low	-0.2 ft
11:30 AM	High	4.4 ft
5:29 PM	Low	0.3 ft
11:41 PM	High	4.6 ft

Time	Type	Height
6:06 AM	Low	0.1 ft
12:21 PM	High	4.3 ft
6:26 PM	Low	0.5 ft

Time	Type	Height
12:30 AM	High	4.2 ft
6:53 AM	Low	0.3 ft
1:11 PM	High	4.3 ft
7:23 PM	Low	0.8 ft

Time	Type	Height
1:19 AM	High	3.8 ft
7:38 AM	Low	0.5 ft
2:02 PM	High	4.2 ft
8:21 PM	Low	1.0 ft

Time	Type	Height
2:11 AM	High	3.5 ft
8:25 AM	Low	0.7 ft
2:56 PM	High	4.2 ft
9:24 PM	Low	1.1 ft

Time	Type	Height
3:10 AM	High	3.2 ft
9:16 AM	Low	0.9 ft
3:53 PM	High	4.2 ft
10:25 PM	Low	1.1 ft

Time	Type	Height
4:11 AM	High	3.1 ft
10:09 AM	Low	0.9 ft
4:46 PM	High	4.3 ft
11:21 PM	Low	1.0 ft

High/low predictions from NOAA station 8534720, refreshed on every build. Times shown local.

7-Day Beach Day Forecast

Today Jul 18

80°

Patchy Smoke

61%

Sun Jul 19

80°

Mostly Sunny

Mon Jul 20

79°

Sunny

Tue Jul 21

81°

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

61%

Wed Jul 22

83°

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

84%

Thu Jul 23

78°

Slight Chance Rain Showers

24%

Fri Jul 24

79°

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Sunny

15%

What to Bring Today

recommended Beach shelter or anchored canopy 20 mph wind — umbrellas will flip
optional Swimsuit - water is swimmable Water is 76°F
recommended Rain cover + dry bag 61% chance of rain

Always remember water bottle, trash bag (leave no trace).

Best Fishing Times Today

Solunar theory: fish activity peaks at moon transits (major) and moonrise/moonset (minor). All times local.

Minor

10:10 PM - 11:10 PM

Major

3:30 AM - 5:30 AM

Minor

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Major

3:40 PM - 5:40 PM

Beach Info

Parking

State park lots. Park closes to new vehicles once full.

Dogs

Dogs prohibited in most areas in-season; check DEP map for allowed sections.

Entry Fee

NJ res $6 wkd / $10 wknd; non-res $12 wkd / $20 wknd (in-season). Off-season: NJ $5, non-res $10.

Address

23 Shore Rd, Seaside Park, NJ 08752

Amenities

lifeguards (beaches 1-2)21 beachesshowerssnack barbird blindskayak/canoe toursinterpretive center

Frequently Asked

Is it safe to swim at Island Beach State Park today?

Island Beach State Park shows a live water-quality reading (bacteria levels) and today's swim-safety score at the top of this page, refreshed on every update. Seasonal lifeguards patrol the swim area in summer — follow their flags. Always review the current advisories, surf, and rip-current notes before getting in the water.

Is Island Beach State Park dog-friendly?

Dogs prohibited in most areas in-season; check DEP map for allowed sections.

Is there an entry fee at Island Beach State Park?

NJ res $6 wkd / $10 wknd; non-res $12 wkd / $20 wknd (in-season). Off-season: NJ $5, non-res $10.

Are there lifeguards at Island Beach State Park?

Yes. Seasonal lifeguards patrol Island Beach State Park during the summer swim season (typically Memorial Day through Labor Day). Outside that window, swim at your own risk.

What amenities are at Island Beach State Park?

Amenities at Island Beach State Park include lifeguards (beaches 1-2), 21 beaches, showers, snack bar, bird blinds, kayak/canoe tours, interpretive center.

When is the water warmest at Island Beach State Park?

Atlantic water temperatures peak in August. Northern beaches (ME, NH, MA) run cool — typically 60-68°F at the summer peak. Mid-Atlantic (NJ, DE, MD, VA) hits 74-76°F. The Carolinas and Florida Atlantic warm into the 80s and stay swimmable from May through October.

Where is Island Beach State Park located?

Island Beach State Park is in Ocean County, NJ, at 23 Shore Rd, Seaside Park, NJ 08752.