Saipan · Today

Lau Lau Bay

NWS Saipan · east-facing reefs; official reef-face range: 3–5 ft

Updated Wed, Sep 23, 9:40 AM GMT+10

When to go

3:00 PM–5:00 PM

Looks good · Low confidence

3.6–3.6 ft · Offshore waves · not face height

Wind: 2.1 kt · cross-shore

Forecast details

Light wind should keep the water smoother.

Other wind windows

Plan around the wind

The best available upcoming daylight wind sample to compare with the wave evidence. This compares wind only; wave size, tide suitability, and hazards can change your choice.

3:00 PM–5:00 PM · Pacific/Saipan
Light wind · up to 2.1 kt · reported gusts up to 10.9 kt
Offshore waves: 3.6–3.6 ft across the period. Surf height unavailable. Tide data available; check the local tide response.
Wind source time: Sep 23, 9:45 AM GMT+10. This is not the model run issue time.

How these periods are chosen

The planner prefers three consecutive hourly samples covering two daylight hours, but retains shorter one- or two-sample evidence when that is all the forecast provides. Light wind means at most 6 kt. Moderate offshore means at most 12 kt from land toward the sea when shore orientation is verified. Strong wind or known gusts of 20 kt or more remain visible as cautions instead of making the entire comparison disappear. These are comparison labels, not locally tested surf-quality or safety ratings. Missing gusts remain unknown. Terrain shelter, currents, closures, and your ability are not assessed.

Forecast confidence

Returned marine grid point is 5.8 km from the mapped spot. Provider grid resolution is not established for this response.
Reference model hour: 0 hours from now; historical residuals do not measure forecast lead-time error.
No accepted local model for these inputs: missing history, unsupported direction/period/height, or failed historical validation.
A mapped coordinate does not establish nearshore grid resolution or terrain/shelter accuracy.

Wind SSE 3.1 kt

Tide 0.5 ft falling

Wave, wind and tide details

Offshore model swellNNW 2.2 ft @ 8sValid 2026-09-23 10:00 · Pacific/SaipanMarine grid 15.1250, 145.7917 · offshore model, not a local measurement

Offshore model sea3.6 ft @ 8.3sSignificant wave height including wind waves and swell; not breaking surfValid 2026-09-23 10:00 · Pacific/Saipan

Model windSSE 3.1 ktcross-shoreValid 2026-09-23 10:00 · Pacific/Saipan1.0 kt onshore component

Tide0.5 ftfallingNOAA Saipan 1633227 · 8 km from spot · predicted height relative to MLLWRetrieved Sep 23, 9:49 AM GMT+10 · provider issue time unavailable19% of adjacent local low–high range · descriptive, not a safety rating

NWS Saipan · east-facing reefs

Rip Current Risk.....Moderate *. Surf Height North facing reefs............5 to 7 feet. East facing reefs............3 to 5 feet. South facing reefs............2 to 4 feet. West facing reefs............2 to 4 feet. Swell/Period Primary swell................North at 4 to 5 feet. Primary period...............9 seconds. Secondary swell..............Northeast at around 2 feet. Secondary period.............10 seconds. Water Temperature Pago buoy..........85 Degrees. Max Heat Index.........Around 100. Winds...............South at 10 to 15 mph.

TODAYOfficial breaking-surf height for the named Saipan reef face; conditions vary within that island-facing zoneIssued Sep 23, 3:12 AM GMT+10

NWS Saipan · east-facing reefs

Rip Current Risk.....Moderate *. Surf Height North facing reefs............4 to 6 feet. East facing reefs............3 to 5 feet. South facing reefs............2 to 4 feet. West facing reefs............2 to 4 feet. Swell/Period Primary swell................North at 3 to 4 feet. Primary period...............8 seconds. Secondary swell..............Northeast at around 2 feet. Secondary period.............9 seconds. Winds...............Southwest at 10 to 15 mph.

TONIGHTOfficial breaking-surf height for the named Saipan reef face; conditions vary within that island-facing zoneIssued Sep 23, 3:12 AM GMT+10

Surf height unavailable. Coastal and offshore waves are not breaking-wave heights.

Surf and wind

Recommended window: No recommended window

Breaking surf is not reliably resolved. Hourly offshore swell and wind inputs are listed below.

Hourly forecast

Hourly surf forecast for Lau Lau Bay
Time	Wind	Tide	Offshore swell
12 AM	SE 7.1 ktonshore	1.5 ftrising	N 2.3 ft @ 8s
1 AM	SE 7.8 ktcross-shore	1.5 ftrising	NW 2.3 ft @ 8s
2 AM	SE 6.7 ktcross-shore	1.5 ftrising	NW 2.2 ft @ 8s
3 AM	SSE 6.4 ktcross-shore	1.5 ftrising	NW 2.2 ft @ 8s
4 AM	SSE 5.5 ktcross-shore	2 ftnear high	NW 2.2 ft @ 8s
5 AM	SSE 5.5 ktcross-shore	1.5 ftfalling	NW 2.1 ft @ 8s
6 AM	S 5.1 ktcross-shore	1.5 ftfalling	NW 2.1 ft @ 7s
7 AM	SSE 5.6 ktcross-shore	1 ftfalling	NW 2.0 ft @ 7s
8 AM	S 5.3 ktcross-shore	1 ftfalling	NW 2.1 ft @ 8s
9 AM	S 4.2 ktcross-shore	0.5 ftfalling	NW 2.2 ft @ 8s
10 AM	SSE 3.1 ktcross-shore	0.5 ftfalling	NNW 2.2 ft @ 8s
11 AM	SSE 3 ktcross-shore	0.5 ftnear low	WNW 2.2 ft @ 8s
Noon	SSE 3.4 ktcross-shore	0.5 ftrising	WSW 2.2 ft @ 7s
1 PM	SSE 2.8 ktcross-shore	0.5 ftrising	SSW 2.2 ft @ 6s
2 PM	S 2.4 ktcross-shore	1 ftrising	SSW 2.2 ft @ 6s
3 PM	SW 1.2 ktcross-shore	1 ftrising	SSW 2.2 ft @ 6s
4 PM	NW 1.6 ktcross-shore	1.5 ftrising	SW 2.2 ft @ 6s
5 PM	NNW 2.1 ktcross-shore	1.5 ftrising	SW 2.2 ft @ 6s
6 PM	NNE 1.6 ktcross-shore	2 ftnear high	SW 2.2 ft @ 6s
7 PM	E 1 ktonshore	2 ftfalling	SW 2.1 ft @ 6s
8 PM	N 1.4 ktcross-shore	2 ftfalling	SW 2.2 ft @ 6s
9 PM	NNE 3.4 ktcross-shore	1.5 ftfalling	SW 2.2 ft @ 6s
10 PM	N 1.8 ktcross-shore	1.5 ftfalling	SW 2.2 ft @ 6s
11 PM	NNE 2.8 ktcross-shore	1.5 ftfalling	SW 2.2 ft @ 6s

12 AMUnavailable

WindSE 7.1 ktonshoreTide1.5 ftrisingOffshore swellN 2.3 ft @ 8s

1 AMUnavailable

WindSE 7.8 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftrisingOffshore swellNW 2.3 ft @ 8s

2 AMUnavailable

WindSE 6.7 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftrisingOffshore swellNW 2.2 ft @ 8s

3 AMUnavailable

WindSSE 6.4 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftrisingOffshore swellNW 2.2 ft @ 8s

4 AMUnavailable

WindSSE 5.5 ktcross-shoreTide2 ftnear highOffshore swellNW 2.2 ft @ 8s

5 AMUnavailable

WindSSE 5.5 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftfallingOffshore swellNW 2.1 ft @ 8s

6 AMUnavailable

WindS 5.1 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftfallingOffshore swellNW 2.1 ft @ 7s

7 AMUnavailable

WindSSE 5.6 ktcross-shoreTide1 ftfallingOffshore swellNW 2.0 ft @ 7s

8 AMUnavailable

WindS 5.3 ktcross-shoreTide1 ftfallingOffshore swellNW 2.1 ft @ 8s

9 AMUnavailable

WindS 4.2 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftfallingOffshore swellNW 2.2 ft @ 8s

10 AMUnavailable

WindSSE 3.1 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftfallingOffshore swellNNW 2.2 ft @ 8s

11 AMUnavailable

WindSSE 3 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftnear lowOffshore swellWNW 2.2 ft @ 8s

NoonUnavailable

WindSSE 3.4 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftrisingOffshore swellWSW 2.2 ft @ 7s

1 PMUnavailable

WindSSE 2.8 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftrisingOffshore swellSSW 2.2 ft @ 6s

2 PMUnavailable

WindS 2.4 ktcross-shoreTide1 ftrisingOffshore swellSSW 2.2 ft @ 6s

3 PMUnavailable

WindSW 1.2 ktcross-shoreTide1 ftrisingOffshore swellSSW 2.2 ft @ 6s

4 PMUnavailable

WindNW 1.6 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftrisingOffshore swellSW 2.2 ft @ 6s

5 PMUnavailable

WindNNW 2.1 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftrisingOffshore swellSW 2.2 ft @ 6s

6 PMUnavailable

WindNNE 1.6 ktcross-shoreTide2 ftnear highOffshore swellSW 2.2 ft @ 6s

7 PMUnavailable

WindE 1 ktonshoreTide2 ftfallingOffshore swellSW 2.1 ft @ 6s

8 PMUnavailable

WindN 1.4 ktcross-shoreTide2 ftfallingOffshore swellSW 2.2 ft @ 6s

9 PMUnavailable

WindNNE 3.4 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftfallingOffshore swellSW 2.2 ft @ 6s

10 PMUnavailable

WindN 1.8 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftfallingOffshore swellSW 2.2 ft @ 6s

11 PMUnavailable

WindNNE 2.8 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftfallingOffshore swellSW 2.2 ft @ 6s

Tide

NOAA Saipan 1633227 · 8 km from spot · MLLW

Interpolated tide height Recommended window

About this spot

Model-grid forecast requested at the mapped coordinate; reef, headland, and nearshore transformations are unresolved. Reef break.

Mapped spot coordinate: 15.1607017, 145.7521186.

Mainland · Coast not verified · Ocean-facing bearing 90° · Location provenance

Model request point: Lau Lau Bay (15.1607017, 145.7521186). Model output times describe valid conditions; the provider does not expose the model run issue time in this response.

Forecast sources

Data coverage 4/9 sources

Source availability is not forecast accuracy. Where an empirical model passes historical testing, its error and interval coverage are shown above. Source count cannot increase that confidence.

Coverage tier A · US_PACIFIC_TERRITORIES · spot-level model point

NWS Saipan · east-facing reefs; official reef-face range3–5 ftCurrent · Sep 23, 3:12 AM GMT+10

NWS Saipan · east-facing reefs
NWS Saipan · east-facing reefs; Official breaking-surf height for the named Saipan reef face; conditions vary within that island-facing zoneCurrentSep 23, 3:12 AM GMT+10
US National Weather Service Coastal Waters Forecast
No current identified NWS Marianas Coastal Waters Forecast passed validation.UnavailableNo source time
PacIOOS ERDDAP
Wave buoy observations and regional ocean datasets; market adapter or station mapping not connectedUnavailableNo source time
NOAA NDBC real-time station files
Tanapag NDBC 52211 has no recent wave values and Sugar Dock 52162 stopped updating; no stale observation substituted.UnavailableNo source time
Coastal Data Information Program THREDDS
No exact named CDIP mapping is available.UnavailableNo source time
NOAA CO-OPS Tides and Currents API
NOAA Saipan 1633227 · 8 km from spot; predicted high/low events above MLLW, converted to feet. Timestamp is retrieval time; provider issue time is not supplied.CurrentSep 23, 9:49 AM GMT+10
WorldTides API
Tide predictions and station lookup; market adapter or station mapping not connectedUnavailableNo source time
Open-Meteo Marine API
1 of 1 configured model points availableCurrentSep 23, 9:45 AM GMT+10
Open-Meteo Weather API
1 of 1 configured model points availableCurrentSep 23, 9:45 AM GMT+10
Surf-Forecast public pages
Spot discovery and break-specific HTML fallbackNot applicableNo source time

How best guesses are made

Best guesses combine usable wave and wind evidence, with qualitative confidence and specific limitations. A missing tide or local surf-height model does not prevent useful guidance. Tide levels use the named station datum; their effect at this break remains uncertain. Wind direction is relative to the mapped beach orientation, without calibrated terrain or shelter effects. The comparison is a heuristic, not a measured quality rating.