Sea glass forecast · waves and storms
Checking where the sea has thrown up glass today…
The index uses onshore wave energy and time since the storm peak.
Loading the forecast…
Sea glass beaches worldwide
Where to find sea glass
Tap a pin to see the forecast for that beach.
How to read the index
Storms churn the shingle and throw fresh glass onto the beach. You will find the most a few hours after the storm peak, along the new strandline.
The most prized pieces are thick, frosted and in rare colours: red, orange and cobalt. Where a beach is protected, look but do not take.
Do not miss the next window
The best windows last a few hours: after a storm, after rain, on a clear night with an active Sun. Sign up and we will email you when the index at your spots goes above 60.
Guides
- What Is Sea Glass, and Which Colours Are the Rarest?
How sea glass forms, how many years the sea takes to frost it, where the colours come from and how rarely red, orange or cobalt turn up. - When to Look for Sea Glass: Storms, Low Tide and Season
The best time for sea glass: after a storm, at low tide, in winter and early spring. What that means on the almost tideless Baltic, and how to choose a beach. - Sea Glass Rules: Where Collecting Is Banned
Can you collect sea glass in Poland and abroad? Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, Laxe, national parks, nature reserves, and stones on beaches in France, Italy and the UK. - What Is Sea Glass Worth, and How to Spot Fakes
Sea glass prices in online shops, what makes a piece valuable, how to sell honestly and how to recognise artificially tumbled glass.
Forecast for every beach
- Sopot
- Gdynia (Śródmieście)
- Hel
- Kołobrzeg
- Świnoujście
- Seaham
- Portobello
- Aberdeen Beach
- Glenarm
- Llan-non (Llanon)
- Glass Beach (Fort Bragg)
- Davenport
- Glass Beach (Kauaʻi)
- Alexandra Battery
- Playa Cofi (Vieques)
- Kiel-Friedrichsort
- Praia dos Cristais (Laxe)
- Plage du Ponteil (Antibes)
FAQ
Where are the best sea glass beaches?
Seaham in England, the old glassworks coasts of Scotland and Northern Ireland, and beaches near old harbours and towns. The map shows a forecast for each.
When is the best time to find sea glass?
After a storm as the waves drop, and at low tide on tidal coasts.
Is it legal to collect sea glass?
On most ordinary beaches yes, in small amounts. Some places ban it, for example Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California, which is a state park.