Hancock Area Beaches: rip current risk and surf forecast

MaineNear Tremont, Hancock CountyNWS zone MEZ029NWS Caribou, ME

Rip current risk today: Low. Life-threatening rip currents are not expected, but they can still form near groins, jetties, reefs and piers. Swim near a lifeguard.

water 55 degrees. Buoy ATGM1, 12 mi out, measured 57 °F water. Sunset 6:35 PM.

Rip current risk: LowToday
Water: 55 degreesForecast
Sunset: 6:35 PMEDT

Rip current risk on the map

Today’s rip current risk in every surf zone the National Weather Service forecasts for over Hancock Area Beaches. Open it for the live map, where it pans and zooms.

Open the live map with rip current risk

Map layer from NOAA National Weather Service surf zone forecasts. Boundaries from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet.

Alerts in force

No beach hazards statement, high surf advisory or other warning is in force for Hancock Area Beaches. Those are the products a coastal office issues when the water turns dangerous. When one is issued it appears here and on the alerts page for this area.

Today and tomorrow

From the National Weather Service beach forecast, issued 246 AM EDT, 9/20/2026.

Today Today

Low rip current risk

Rip current risk: Low
Water temperature: 55 degrees
UV index: Low
High temperature: Around 60
Weather: Partly sunny until 5 PM, then cloudy
Wind: Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph
Thunderstorms: None

UV index 2 or less. Little danger for most people.

Tomorrow Monday

Low rip current risk

Rip current risk: Low
High temperature: In the lower 60s
Weather: Mostly sunny. Patchy fog
Wind: North winds around 5 mph
Thunderstorms: None

The surf zone forecast, period by period

Coastal Hancock. Issued 2:46 AM EDT on Sun, Sep 20 by the National Weather Service in Caribou, ME.

Today

Rip Current Risk: Low
Surf: Around 1 foot, building to around 2 feet in the afternoon
Thunderstorm Potential: None
UV Index: Low
Water Temperature: 55 degrees. According to the USCG, when the water temperature is below 60 degrees, the average submerged person could lose dexterity within minutes and be unable to accomplish simple tasks like buckling a life jacket or operating a radio
Weather: Partly sunny until 5 PM, then cloudy
High Temperature: Around 60
Winds: Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph
Tides, Sand Beach: High 8.7 feet (MLLW) 06:30 AM EDT. Low 2.6 feet (MLLW) 12:31 PM EDT

Monday

Rip Current Risk: Low
Surf: Around 2 feet
Thunderstorm Potential: None
Weather: Mostly sunny. Patchy fog
High Temperature: In the lower 60s
Winds: North winds around 5 mph
Tides, Sand Beach: High 8.8 feet (MLLW) 07:28 AM EDT. Low 2.4 feet (MLLW) 01:29 PM EDT

Tuesday

Surf height around 2 feet. Partly sunny. Highs in the upper 50s. Northeast winds around 5 mph.

Wednesday

Surf height around 2 feet. Sunny. Highs in the upper 50s. Northeast winds around 10 mph.

Thursday

Surf height 2 to 3 feet. Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 50s. Northeast winds around 10 mph.

The office's notes on this forecast

Rip Current Risk Category * Low Risk - The risk for rip currents is low, however, life-threatening rip currents often occur in the vicinity of groins, jetties, reefs, and piers. * Moderate Risk - Life-threatening rip currents are possible in the surf zone. * High Risk - Life-threatening rip currents are likely in the surf zone.

** For thunderstorm, waterspout, and UV definitions see: https://www.weather.gov/beach/car

The product as issued

FZUS51 KCAR 200646
SRFCAR

Surf Zone Forecast
National Weather Service Caribou ME
246 AM EDT Sun Sep 20 2026

MEZ029-202000-
Coastal Hancock-
Including the beaches of Sand Beach
246 AM EDT Sun Sep 20 2026

.TODAY...
Rip Current Risk............Low. 
Surf........................Around 1 foot, building to around 2 
                            feet in the afternoon. 
Thunderstorm Potential**....None. 
UV Index**..................Low. 
Water Temperature...........55 degrees. According to the USCG, when 
                            the water temperature is below 60 
                            degrees, the average submerged person 
                            could lose dexterity within minutes and 
                            be unable to accomplish simple tasks 
                            like buckling a life jacket or 
                            operating a radio. 
Weather.....................Partly sunny until 5 PM, then cloudy. 
High Temperature............Around 60. 
Winds.......................Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
Tides...
   Sand Beach...............High 8.7 feet (MLLW) 06:30 AM EDT.
                            Low 2.6 feet (MLLW) 12:31 PM EDT.

.MONDAY...
Rip Current Risk............Low. 
Surf........................Around 2 feet. 
Thunderstorm Potential**....None. 
Weather.....................Mostly sunny. Patchy fog. 
High Temperature............In the lower 60s. 
Winds.......................North winds around 5 mph.
Tides...
   Sand Beach...............High 8.8 feet (MLLW) 07:28 AM EDT.
                            Low 2.4 feet (MLLW) 01:29 PM EDT.

.TUESDAY...Surf height around 2 feet. Partly sunny. Highs in the
upper 50s. Northeast winds around 5 mph. 
.WEDNESDAY...Surf height around 2 feet. Sunny. Highs in the upper
50s. Northeast winds around 10 mph. 
.THURSDAY...Surf height 2 to 3 feet. Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper
50s. Northeast winds around 10 mph.

&&

Rip Current Risk Category
* Low Risk - The risk for rip currents is low, however,
life-threatening rip currents often occur in the vicinity of groins,
jetties, reefs, and piers.
* Moderate Risk - Life-threatening rip currents are possible in the
surf zone.
* High Risk - Life-threatening rip currents are likely in the surf
zone.

** For thunderstorm, waterspout, and UV definitions see:
https://www.weather.gov/beach/car

$$

MEZ030-202000-
Coastal Washington-
Including the beaches of Roque Bluffs
246 AM EDT Sun Sep 20 2026

.TODAY...
Rip Current Risk............Low. 
Surf........................Around 1 foot. 
Thunderstorm Potential**....None. 
UV Index**..................Low. 
Water Temperature...........54 degrees. According to the USCG, when 
                            the water temperature is below 60 
                            degrees, the average submerged person 
                            could lose dexterity within minutes and 
                            be unable to accomplish simple tasks 
                            like buckling a life jacket or 
                            operating a radio. 
Weather.....................Mostly cloudy. 
High Temperature............In the mid 50s. 
Winds.......................South winds 5 to 10 mph.
Tides...
   Roque Bluffs.............High 10.1 feet (MLLW) 06:23 AM EDT.
                            Low 2.6 feet (MLLW) 12:26 PM EDT.

.MONDAY...
Rip Current Risk............Low. 
Surf........................Around 1 foot. 
Thunderstorm Potential**....None. 
Weather.....................Mostly sunny. Patchy fog. 
High Temperature............In the lower 60s. 
Winds.......................North winds around 5 mph.
Tides...
   Roque Bluffs.............High 10.2 feet (MLLW) 07:21 AM EDT.
                            Low 2.5 feet (MLLW) 01:24 PM EDT.

.TUESDAY...Surf height around 1 foot. Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid
50s. Northeast winds around 5 mph. 
.WEDNESDAY...Surf height around 1 foot. Sunny. Highs in the mid 50s.
Northeast winds around 5 mph. 
.THURSDAY...Surf height 1 foot or less. Sunny. Highs in the upper
50s. Northeast winds around 5 mph.

&&

Rip Current Risk Category
* Low Risk - The risk for rip currents is low, however,
life-threatening rip currents often occur in the vicinity of groins,
jetties, reefs, and piers.
* Moderate Risk - Life-threatening rip currents are possible in the
surf zone.
* High Risk - Life-threatening rip currents are likely in the surf
zone.

** For thunderstorm, waterspout, and UV definitions see:
https://www.weather.gov/beach/car


$$

The water now, measured

Buoy ATGM1, 8413320 - Bar Harbor, ME, 12 mi away, reported 10:30 AM.

Water temperature: 57 °F
Air temperature: 56 °F
Wind: 8 kt from the SSE

From NOAA's National Data Buoy Center. Wave height is the significant height, the average of the highest third; the largest waves run half again as high. Offshore buoys read bigger than the surf at the beach.

Tides today

Bass Harbor, 4.6 mi away. Feet above mean lower low water.

High tide6:34 AM8.1 ft
Low tide12:04 PM2.4 ft
High tide6:48 PM9.0 ft

Low tide often exposes the sandbars and channels that shape rip currents, and the risk can run higher for an hour or two either side of it. Full tide table for Bass Harbor.

Sun and daylight

Sunrise today: 6:19 AM
Sunset today: 6:35 PM
Sunrise tomorrow: 6:20 AM
Sunset tomorrow: 6:33 PM

Times are Eastern Daylight Time. Lifeguards are off duty outside posted hours, and the rip current risk does not fall with the light.

Beaches in this forecast

Sand Beach

As the National Weather Service lists them in its surf zone forecast.

What this means

The three levels the National Weather Service issues, and what to do at each.

High	Life-threatening rip currents are likely. The surf zone is dangerous for swimmers of every level. Stay out of the water.
Moderate	Life-threatening rip currents are possible. Swim near a lifeguard, and follow the beach patrol and its flags.
Low	Life-threatening rip currents are not expected, but they can still form near groins, jetties, reefs and piers. Swim near a lifeguard.

If a rip current carries you out

Do not fight the current. It pulls you away from the beach, not under the water.
Stay calm and keep your head above water. Float or tread water until the pull eases.
Swim parallel to the beach, along the shore, until you are out of the current, then angle in toward the beach.
If you cannot escape, face the shore, wave your arms and call for help.
If someone else is caught, do not go in after them. Get a lifeguard, call 911, and throw them something that floats.

Thunderstorms and lightning

No thunderstorms are in the forecast today. Water and open sand leave you the tallest thing around. When thunder roars, go indoors: leave the water and the beach for a building or a hard-topped vehicle, and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back.

A rip current is a narrow stream of water flowing away from the beach, through the surf and past the breakers. It pulls swimmers out, not under. Rip current and lightning safety guidance from the National Weather Service.

Nearby

The stretches of shore the National Weather Service forecasts on either side of this one.

More for this place

Sources

Rip current risk, surf, water temperature and UV from the National Weather Service surf zone forecast and beach forecast, office CAR, issued 246 AM EDT, 9/20/2026. Original at NWS. Waves and water temperature measured by NOAA's National Data Buoy Center. Tides from NOAA CO-OPS. Alerts from the National Weather Service for zone MEZ029.