Sandy Hook, Fort Hancock NOAA Tide Station 8531680

About NOAA station 8531680

The Sandy Hook station sits near the entrance to New York Harbor, with direct relevance to Raritan Bay, ocean beaches, harbor approaches, shoals, and nearby channels.

Why people check this station

Surf anglers, boaters, and harbor users check it for beach stages, launch depth, inlet planning, and a coastal reference closer to the ocean than The Battery.

How to interpret the prediction locally

Ocean swell, wind against current, and large-vessel traffic can make harbor approaches difficult even at a favorable tide. The height prediction does not describe wave conditions.

Tide height is not current speed

A high or low prediction describes the expected water level at the gauge. Current can turn earlier or later in a nearby inlet, river, bridge opening, pass, or channel. NOAA publishes separate current predictions for supported locations, and local weather can move the observed level above or below the astronomical prediction.

Basic station-planning checklist

1. Confirm that station 8531680 represents the water you intend to use.
2. Note the predicted high and low times, heights, and overall range.
3. Check wind, waves, visibility, precipitation, and official warnings.
4. Allow for the local offset between the gauge and your exact location.
5. Verify actual water, access, navigation, and regulations before departure.

Planning only: Data can be delayed, unavailable, or unrepresentative of a nearby micro-location. Never use this page as a substitute for official charts, notices, warnings, or direct observation.

Official references

• NOAA CO-OPS station 8531680
• NOAA tide predictions for Sandy Hook, Fort Hancock
• NOAA tide and current FAQs
• National Weather Service marine forecasts