Jupiter Beach Surf Report: Live Cam, Conditions & Forecast

Just south of the Jupiter Inlet, the Jupiter beaches offer a string of relaxed, well-kept public parks along the Atlantic in northern Palm Beach County. Carlin Park is the main surf hub, a big oceanfront county park with a long guarded shoreline, backed by smaller accesses like Ocean Cay Park. The surf is an exposed beach break with scattered rock and reef in spots, working on all tides and giving up lefts and rights, and this stretch of coast picks up more swell than areas farther south thanks to the gap in the Bahamas.

Best Swell Direction: Northeast and east swells work best, with winter storm groundswell and the fall hurricane season delivering the bigger, cleaner days.

Best Winds: West winds are offshore here and hold the faces clean.

Best Size: Usually small outside of swell events, picking up on solid northeast swells and in hurricane season.

Best Tide: Works through the tide, varying with the sandbars at each access.

Break: A mostly sand-bottom beach break with rock and reef in places, offering both lefts and rights. The banks shift along the beach, so it pays to check a few of the parks.

Crowds: An easygoing, local-flavored stretch. It can gather a crowd on the good days, but the several parks and long beach give everyone room to spread out.

Seasons: Prime surf runs late summer through fall in hurricane season and again in winter when Atlantic fronts send swell. Summer is often small.

Rock and Reef: Some sections break over rock and reef, so watch your footing and note where the bottom gets shallow, especially at lower tide.

Access and Parks: Carlin Park (off A1A) is the main surf park, a 120-acre county park with about 3,000 feet of guarded beach, free parking, restrooms, outdoor showers, rentable pavilions with grills, tennis and volleyball courts, an amphitheater, and the Lazy Loggerhead Cafe. Ocean Cay Park and other Town of Jupiter and county accesses are nearby for a quieter peak.

Lifeguards: Palm Beach County guards the main swimming areas at Carlin Park and the other beach parks during posted daytime hours, with surf wheelchairs available from the lifeguards.

Operating Hours (Subject to change): The parks and beaches are generally open sunrise to sunset. Confirm current hours with Palm Beach County and the Town of Jupiter.

Fees: Parking at Carlin Park and the nearby beach parks is free. Pavilions can be reserved for a fee.