Live wind on the Astoria waterfront and the tidal current out at the bar — flooding or ebbing now, and the next slack-water windows the fleet crosses on, from NOAA gauges.
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The Columbia River bar — where the river meets the ocean off Clatsop Spit — is one of the most dangerous crossings on the coast. This reads two NOAA gauges: the wind on the Astoria waterfront, and the tidal current out at the bar. It shows whether the tide is flooding or ebbing right now and the next slack-water windows — the calm the fishing fleet and the Buoy 10 boats time their crossings to. It does not measure the ocean swell, the other half of the bar; check the Coast Guard bar forecast and the bar buoy below before you go.
The flood is easing to slack water at 3:43 PM.
Wind measured 2:12 PM at the Astoria waterfront gauge.
| Time | Current | Peak |
|---|---|---|
| 3:43 PM | Slack | turning |
| 6:01 PM | Ebb | 2.2 kn |
| 9:02 PM | Slack | turning |
| Thu 12:00 AM | Flood | 2.2 kn |
| Thu 2:53 AM | Slack | turning |
| Thu 6:01 AM | Ebb | 3.9 kn |
| Thu 9:48 AM | Slack | turning |
| Thu 1:14 PM | Flood | 3.2 kn |
In this channel the flood sets about 114° and the ebb about 289°.
For tide heights — how deep, not how hard it runs — see the tide table.
A big ebb against an ocean swell is what stands the bar up
The bar turns dangerous when a strong ebb current runs out against an incoming ocean swell — the water piles into steep, breaking seas, sometimes on an otherwise clear day. This tool shows the current and the wind, not the swell. Before you cross, read the National Weather Service Columbia River Bar forecast and the bar buoy below, and listen for the Coast Guard bar report. Many boats cross near slack water or on the flood for exactly this reason.
Read the water, not just the screen
This isn’t a go/no-go. The current times are NOAA harmonic predictions — astronomical tide only, so a strong wind, a big rain freshet or spring runoff can change what the water actually does. The wind is one gauge’s reading and the channel varies along its length. The skipper decides. In an emergency call 911 or hail the Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16 — Station Cape Disappointment covers the bar.
Wind and tidal-current predictions from NOAA CO-OPS (tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov), public domain. Checked 2:21 PM.
Source: NOAA CO-OPS (tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov), public domain, checked 24 July 2026 (5 days ago).