Portsmouth, Virginia Tide Chart
Portsmouth tide times today — high & low tide, the rising/falling state right now, and a 7-day outlook
Portsmouth, VA · Tide as of
Tide is Falling Next low tide 9:50 PM
In 5h 13m · 0.9 ft (MLLW)
Today’s tide times in Portsmouth
| Tide | Time | Height (ft, MLLW) |
|---|---|---|
| High | 2:43 AM | 2.6 |
| Low | 8:48 AM | 0.8 |
| High | 3:11 PM | 2.8 |
| Low | 9:50 PM | 0.9 |
Fri, Sep 18 · times are local; heights are in feet relative to Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW).
Tide curve — next 24 hours
Predicted water level (ft, MLLW)now
7-day tide outlook for Portsmouth
| Day | High & low tides (local time · ft MLLW) |
|---|---|
| Sat, Sep 19 | H 3:31 AM (2.5 ft) · L 9:42 AM (0.9 ft) · H 4:03 PM (2.8 ft) · L 10:49 PM (1.0 ft) |
| Sun, Sep 20 | H 4:27 AM (2.4 ft) · L 10:39 AM (0.9 ft) · H 5:03 PM (2.8 ft) · L 11:44 PM (0.9 ft) |
| Mon, Sep 21 | H 5:29 AM (2.4 ft) · L 11:36 AM (0.8 ft) · H 6:03 PM (2.9 ft) |
| Tue, Sep 22 | L 12:33 AM (0.8 ft) · H 6:29 AM (2.5 ft) · L 12:30 PM (0.8 ft) · H 6:55 PM (3.0 ft) |
| Wed, Sep 23 | L 1:18 AM (0.6 ft) · H 7:22 AM (2.7 ft) · L 1:23 PM (0.7 ft) · H 7:42 PM (3.1 ft) |
| Thu, Sep 24 | L 2:01 AM (0.5 ft) · H 8:09 AM (2.9 ft) · L 2:16 PM (0.5 ft) · H 8:25 PM (3.1 ft) |
| Fri, Sep 25 | L 2:44 AM (0.3 ft) · H 8:52 AM (3.2 ft) · L 3:07 PM (0.4 ft) · H 9:08 PM (3.2 ft) |
Best low-tide window in Portsmouth
The next low tide is around 9:50 PM at 0.9 ft — the window when flats, sandbars, and tide pools are most exposed for clamming, shore fishing, and tide-pooling. Water turns and starts rising back toward the next high around 3:31 AM, so give yourself a wide margin and head back well before then.
The water turns and returns quickly once the tide starts rising. Watch for slick rocks, soft mud, and rip currents, mind the next high-tide time, and follow local shellfishing regulations and closures.
About this tide station
Predictions on this page come from NOAA CO-OPS station Western Branch (#8638339), a tide-prediction station near Portsmouth, VA. Heights are in feet relative to Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) — NOAA’s standard tidal datum — and times are in the station’s local time. These are astronomical predictions: weather, wind, and storm surge can push the actual water level above or below them.
Frequently asked
- When is the highest tide in Portsmouth this week?
- NOAA predicts the week's highest tide at the Western Branch station for Thu, Sep 24 at 8:25 PM local time: 3.1 ft above MLLW. The lowest low from Fri, Sep 18 to Thu, Sep 24 comes Thu, Sep 24 at 2:01 AM, 0.5 ft above MLLW. Wind and storm surge can push the real water level above or below these predictions.
- What is the tide range in Portsmouth?
- From Fri, Sep 18 to Thu, Sep 24, the water at Western Branch rises or falls between 1.4 and 2.6 ft from one high or low to the next, and the week's full spread, lowest low to highest high, is 2.6 ft. Ranges peak near the new and full moon (spring tides) and shrink near the quarter moons (neap tides).
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