Montrose Beach surf forecast
Chicago · Illinois · United States
Today at Montrose Beach: best around 08:00, 0.0 m at 1 s with onshore wind. Flat for intermediate surfers, flat for beginners, flat for advanced. Updated 20 Oct, 18:50 UTC.
Montrose Beach surf forecast, next 7 days
The best daylight hour of each day, rated for each level. No day rates Good for intermediate surfers this week.
| Day | Best | Surf | Wind | Beg. | Int. | Adv. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today | 08:00 | 0.0 m · 1 s | onshore | Flat | Flat | Flat |
| Wed 21 | 08:00 | 0.0 m · 2 s | offshore | Flat | Flat | Flat |
| Thu 22 | 08:00 | 0.0 m · 1 s | cross-onshore | Flat | Flat | Flat |
| Fri 23 | 08:00 | 0.1 m · 3 s | cross-shore | Flat | Flat | Flat |
| Sat 24 | 08:00 | 0.0 m · 3 s | cross-offshore | Flat | Flat | Flat |
| Sun 25 | 15:00 | 0.0 m · 2 s | offshore | Flat | Flat | Flat |
| Mon 26 | 08:00 | 0.1 m · 2 s | onshore | Flat | Flat | Flat |
Model forecast updated 20 Oct, 18:50 UTC. Hour by hour with swell direction, tide and webcams: open the live forecast.
Lake Michigan beach in Uptown where surfing has been legal year-round since 2009, one of two such beaches in Chicago. A strong N to NE wind blowing down the lake builds the swell; the best sessions come as that wind backs SW behind a fall cold front. The main lineup is off the end of the beach walkway; the hook pier at the south end gives shelter, the north end more size.
- Break
- beach break, peaks both ways; faces N
- Level
- intermediate
- Best swell
- NNW, N, NNE, NE
- Best wind
- SW, SSW, W (offshore)
- Best tide
- all tides
- Season
- September-April
- Typical size
- 0.6-2 m
- Crowd
- medium
- Hazards
- short-period washing-machine surf; ice shelves and freezing water in winter; offshore wind drifting boards out into the lake
Nearby spots
- 57th Street Beach, Chicago
- Rainbow Beach, Chicago
Questions
Is Montrose Beach good for beginners?
It is best for intermediate surfers (short-period washing-machine surf; ice shelves and freezing water in winter).
What swell, wind and tide work best at Montrose Beach?
NNW, N, NNE, NE swell, SW, SSW, W wind (offshore), at all tides. Typical size 0.6-2 m.
Live swell, wind, tide, a 14-day outlook, satellite pictures and webcams for Montrose Beach are in the Surf Spoting app.