Chatham Wave Buoy Captures 8-Foot Waves During Early June Storm

Published on: June 9, 2026

How big were the waves during last weekend’s storm?

Just ask the wave buoy.

Back in March, the Town of Chatham, Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, and partners deployed a wave buoy outside Chatham’s South Inlet to provide real-time information about ocean conditions. Since then, the buoy has been transmitting wave data every 30 minutes, giving boaters, fishermen, scientists, and coastal managers a detailed look at conditions offshore.

The system recently captured one of its largest wave events since deployment.

During the storm that ushered in June, significant wave heights climbed above 8 feet near the South Inlet. Data recorded by the buoy on May 30 showed waves reaching approximately 8.3 feet, with ocean swell exceeding 6.6 feet.

Line graph showing wave heights recorded by the Chatham South Inlet wave buoy from May 28 to June 3, 2026. Wave heights gradually increase before peaking during a late May storm, when significant wave heights exceed 8 feet. After the storm, wave heights steadily decrease over several days. Separate lines display total wave height, swell, and sea conditions. — The early June storm packed a punch. This graph shows wave heights recorded by the Chatham South Inlet wave buoy, where significant waves peaked at more than 8 feet on May 30 before settling back down.

The wave buoy is part of an ongoing effort to improve understanding of local ocean conditions and provide publicly accessible information for people who work and recreate on the water.

“Over the last couple of months, we’ve gotten updates every half hour to help us keep track of exactly what’s going on offshore,” said Bryan McCormack, Coastal Processes Specialist with Cape Cod Cooperative Extension.

The information can be especially useful for:

Commercial and recreational boaters
Commercial and recreational fishermen
Harbor and coastal managers
Researchers and scientists
Anyone interested in local ocean conditions

The buoy is located just outside Chatham’s South Inlet and reports conditions through the NERACOOS Mariners Dashboard.

Whether you’re planning a day on the water, tracking storm impacts, or simply curious about what’s happening offshore, the data is available to everyone.

View the live buoy data

https://mariners.neracoos.org/platform/SPOT-32785C

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Chatham Wave Buoy Captures 8-Foot Waves During Early June Storm

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