Negative low tides this winter (2026–2027)

A "negative" or "minus" tide is a low tide that drops below 0 ft on the tide chart. Zero is Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW), the average of each day's lowest tide, so a negative low is simply lower than an average low (see how to read a tide chart). These are the days when sandbars, tide pools, mud flats and the bottoms of inlets are most exposed. This page lists the lowest predicted lows this winter for every beach we cover, from NOAA's official predictions.

Why are the lowest tides in January?

Spring tides around new and full moons give bigger swings in both directions: higher highs and lower lows. When a full or new moon also falls near the moon's perigee, the swing is bigger still (NOAA: perigean spring tides). This winter every full moon is near perigee (see the dates in our king tides 2026–2027 guide). Seasonal water levels matter too. Along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, mean sea level runs lower in winter than in late summer and fall, so the lows around the January 22 full moon end up lower than the ones in November, even though November has the biggest highs.

Lowest predicted tides by beach

For each beach: the single lowest predicted low from November 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027, the lowest one that falls between sunrise and sunset, and how many lows drop below 0 ft over the four months.

New England & New York

New Jersey

Delaware, Maryland & Virginia

North Carolina

South Carolina & Georgia

Florida Atlantic coast

Florida Keys

Florida Gulf coast

Gulf Coast: Alabama to Texas

West Coast & Hawaii

NOAA CO-OPS predicted low tides, Nov 1, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027, feet relative to Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW; 0 ft), local time. "Daylight" = between sunrise and sunset at the beach (NOAA solar equations). "Lows below 0 ft" counts every predicted low under MLLW in the four months. Strong offshore winds can drop the water further; onshore winds and storms can keep it from getting this low.

Reading the table

• Daylight matters. From Delaware to Florida the deepest lows of the January spring tide come around 1 to 3 AM, while the afternoon low the same day is a little higher. At most New Jersey ocean stations the timing flips and the early-afternoon low is the deepest, which makes the Jersey Shore's January 23 low a rare daylight minus tide. In Maine, New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts the deepest lows come around 5 to 6 PM, just after dark, so the best daylight minus tides there are in February. On the Pacific coast the lowest lows come in the afternoon, around 3 to 5 PM.
• Bigger tide range, bigger minus tide. Places with large tides, like Hilton Head, the Georgia coast, Maine and the Pacific Northwest, see the deepest negative lows. The Gulf Coast and the Florida Keys have small tides, so their lows only go a little below zero, and wind often matters more than the moon there.
• Wind can change everything. A strong offshore or northerly wind behind a winter cold front can push water out and make a low tide much lower than predicted, especially in shallow bays on the Gulf Coast and in the Carolinas' sounds. An onshore wind does the opposite.

Using a minus tide safely

Go out on the falling tide, and start back before the predicted low time, not after it. The water comes back fastest in the middle of the rising tide. Sandbars and flats can be cut off from the beach by deeper channels that fill first. Winter water is cold, so a soaking is more dangerous than in summer. For shellfish, check your state's rules and closed areas before you dig.

Popular beach pages: Old Orchard Beach, ME, Sandy Hook, NJ, Cape May, NJ, Lewes, DE, Wrightsville Beach, NC, Hilton Head Island, SC, Tybee Island, GA, Fernandina Beach, FL, Cedar Key, FL, Encinitas, CA and Cannon Beach, OR.

FAQ

What is a negative low tide?

It is a low tide that falls below 0 ft on a tide chart. On NOAA charts zero is Mean Lower Low Water, the average of each day's lowest tide, so a negative tide is lower than an average low tide. They are most common around new and full moons, especially when the moon is near perigee.

When is the lowest tide of winter 2026–2027?

At most of the beaches we cover, NOAA predicts the lowest low of November 2026 to February 2027 around January 20 to 23, 2027, right after the January 22 full moon. December 24 to 25 and February 20 to 21 are close behind. Check the table for your beach, since the exact date and time vary.

Why are winter low tides so low?

This winter the full moons all fall near the moon's closest approach (perigee), which increases the tide range. On the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, seasonal mean sea level is also lower in winter than in summer and fall, and cold fronts with strong offshore winds can push water out even further.

Is a minus tide good for fishing?

A very low tide exposes the structure that holds fish at other times, such as bars, holes, channel edges and inlet rips, so it's a good time to scout. Many anglers then fish those spots on the incoming tide. See our fall and winter striped bass guide for tide timing.

Sources

• Tide predictions: NOAA CO-OPS high/low predictions, November 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027, CO-OPS data API (public domain). Sunrise and sunset: NOAA solar calculator equations.
• NOAA: What is a perigean spring tide? and What are spring and neap tides?
• Seasonal sea level: NOAA Sea Level Trends (each station's average seasonal cycle).