Hampton Roads, Sewells Point NOAA Tide Station 8638610

About NOAA station 8638610

Sewells Point is a major Hampton Roads reference near the James and Elizabeth rivers, naval facilities, port channels, Chesapeake Bay mouth, and Atlantic approaches.

Why people check this station

Boaters and anglers use it for harbor level, bridge and ramp access, bay-current context, coastal-flood awareness, and planning routes through heavy commercial traffic.

How to interpret the prediction locally

The Chesapeake Bay mouth can be much rougher than Sewells Point. Combine the tide with wind, waves, current predictions, security zones, and vessel traffic.

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 8638610 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 8638610
• NOAA tide predictions for Hampton Roads, Sewells Point
• NOAA tide and current FAQs
• National Weather Service marine forecasts