Predictions updated
Virginia tides today
The oceanfront, Hampton Roads and the Eastern Shore: three tides of different size around the mouth of the Chesapeake.
Shaded: night. Green bands: solunar periods (thick = major, thin = minor). Heights in feet above Mean Lower Low Water, the zero of NOAA charts.
Virginia Beach, VA · Tuesday, October 13
Tide rising, 1.0 ft now
High 10:16 PM
3.5 ft · in 4 h 35 min
| Low | 3:32 AM | 0.6 ft |
| High | 10:01 AM | 4.5 ft |
| Low | 4:24 PM | 0.7 ft |
| High | 10:16 PM | 3.5 ft |
Tide coefficient 105 (average), range 3.9 ft
Sunrise 7:10 AM · sunset 6:30 PM
Waxing crescent, 9% lit · fishing day ★★★☆
Solunar: major 1:44 AM–3:44 AM, minor 9:46 AM–10:46 AM, major 2:08 PM–4:08 PM, minor 7:25 PM–8:25 PM
Virginia Beach tide table, next 7 days
| Day | High tides | Low tides | Coef. | Sun | Moon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10:01 AM 4.5 ft · 10:16 PM 3.5 ft | 3:32 AM 0.6 ft · 4:24 PM 0.7 ft | 105 | 7:10 AM–6:30 PM | Waxing crescent ★★★☆ | |
| 10:40 AM 4.3 ft · 10:58 PM 3.3 ft | 4:10 AM 0.8 ft · 5:07 PM 0.9 ft | 94 | 7:11 AM–6:29 PM | Waxing crescent ★★☆☆ | |
| 11:22 AM 4.1 ft · 11:41 PM 3.2 ft | 4:51 AM 1.0 ft · 5:53 PM 1.1 ft | 84 | 7:12 AM–6:27 PM | Waxing crescent ★★☆☆ | |
| 12:05 PM 3.9 ft | 5:37 AM 1.2 ft · 6:41 PM 1.2 ft | 74 | 7:12 AM–6:26 PM | First quarter ★★☆☆ | |
| 12:26 AM 3.1 ft · 12:50 PM 3.8 ft | 6:27 AM 1.3 ft · 7:33 PM 1.3 ft | 67 | 7:13 AM–6:25 PM | First quarter ★★☆☆ | |
| 1:16 AM 3.0 ft · 1:43 PM 3.7 ft | 7:20 AM 1.4 ft · 8:29 PM 1.3 ft | 64 | 7:14 AM–6:23 PM | First quarter ★★☆☆ | |
| 2:19 AM 3.0 ft · 2:45 PM 3.6 ft | 8:21 AM 1.4 ft · 9:23 PM 1.2 ft | 65 | 7:15 AM–6:22 PM | First quarter ★★☆☆ |
Station Virginia Beach (NOAA 8639168). Predicted astronomical tide: wind, river flow and storms can move the real water by a foot or more. 3.8 ft is the average daily range here.
Published by Radif Partners · How the tides are computed · predictions downloaded October 13, 2026
Virginia's tide changes as you move from the open ocean into the Chesapeake. The Virginia Beach oceanfront averages 3.8 ft from low to high, predicted by NOAA from the Duck pier in North Carolina. Inside the bay mouth, Hampton Roads at Sewells Point averages 2.6 ft, and the tide keeps shrinking as it travels up the bay. On the Eastern Shore, Chincoteague's channel station averages 2.5 ft, with a larger tide on the Assateague ocean beach and smaller, later tides in the marsh behind. All three have a semidiurnal tide, two highs and two lows a day. Pick a station in the tool above for today's curve and times, or open its page for seven days, extremes and a planner. Hampton Roads is also one of the places on the East Coast where high tides now flood streets most often.
Virginia tide stations on this site
| Station page | NOAA station | Tide type | Average range | Highest predicted | Lowest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | Virginia Beach | semidiurnal | 3.8 ft | 5.1 ft · October 1, 2027 | -1.0 ft |
| Norfolk | HAMPTON ROADS (Sewells Point) | semidiurnal | 2.6 ft | 3.6 ft · October 1, 2027 | -0.8 ft |
| Chincoteague | Chincoteague Channel (south end) | semidiurnal | 2.5 ft | 3.1 ft · November 25, 2026 | -0.4 ft |
The bay mouth and Hampton Roads
The Chesapeake opens to the Atlantic between Cape Henry and Cape Charles, crossed by the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Inside, Hampton Roads is the junction of the James, Elizabeth and Nansemond rivers, one of the great natural harbors of the world. NOAA predicts its points from Sewells Point with corrections of a few minutes to three quarters of an hour; on the Lynnhaven side of Virginia Beach, it uses the Bridge-Tunnel station, with high water about two hours after the ocean.
Flooding in Norfolk and Hampton Roads
Land around Hampton Roads is subsiding while sea level rises, and the combined change is among the fastest on the East Coast. Low neighborhoods now flood on the highest astronomical tides even in fair weather. The king tides guide and NOAA's high tide flooding page explain the trend.
The Eastern Shore
On the Delmarva side, barrier islands and marsh stretch from Chincoteague down to Cape Charles. Behind them, lagoons and creeks fill late through narrow inlets: NOAA predicts some Chincoteague coves almost two hours after the Ocean City pier. It is clam and oyster country, and the low tide sets the working day.
Currents at the capes
All the water that fills and drains the Chesapeake passes between the capes, so the tidal currents there and around the Bridge-Tunnel islands run strongly, reversing roughly every six hours. Anglers fishing the tunnel islands and the bay mouth time their trips on the moving water, and small boats crossing the mouth avoid wind against a strong ebb. On the oceanfront itself, the Virginia Beach tide chart gives the heights for walks, surf and launches at Rudee Inlet.
Questions about these tides
Is the tide bigger at Virginia Beach than in Norfolk?
Yes. The oceanfront averages close to four feet, while Hampton Roads at Sewells Point averages about two and a half. The tide loses height as it enters the Chesapeake through the bay mouth and keeps shrinking up the bay, while the open ocean keeps the full Atlantic range.
Why does Norfolk flood so often at high tide?
Because the land around Hampton Roads is sinking while the sea rises, so the highest astronomical tides reach low streets more often than a few decades ago. On king tide days, water can enter neighborhoods near the rivers without a storm; northeast winds and rain make it worse.
Which station should I use for Chincoteague and Assateague in Virginia?
For the town’s channel and docks, the Chincoteague Channel station on this site. For the ocean beach at Toms Cove on Assateague, NOAA uses the Ocean City fishing pier with a 35-minute correction and a larger range. The coves north of town run up to two hours late.
Read next
Where the figures come from
Published by Radif Partners
Publisher of tide charts, solunar fishing times and beach and boat-ramp planners for US coastal stations
Predictions updated · Editorial policy · Contact
Predictions, not measurements: the times and heights are NOAA’s astronomical tide for the station named on the page. An onshore wind, a storm surge or a river in flood can raise the water well above them, and an offshore wind can hold it down. Never use this page to navigate.
Tide predictions 2026, downloaded from the National Ocean Service on