What the Hudson is doing off Pier 66: tidal currents, water temperature, the forecast, recent rainfall, and whether the river is under a water quality advisory. The same summary our members get in Slack each morning.
Updated Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 8:31am. This page is a snapshot taken each morning — conditions change through the day, so follow the source links for anything live.
Tidal currents
Predictions for Hudson River, Pier 92, 6 feet depth — NOAA Tides & Currents
Wednesday, September 16
| Time | Stage | Speed |
|---|---|---|
| 12:53 AM | max flood | 0.8 mph |
| 02:55 AM | slack | — |
| 06:54 AM | max ebb | 2.4 mph |
| 10:23 AM | slack | — |
| 01:26 PM | max flood | 1.8 mph |
| 04:31 PM | slack | — |
| 07:47 PM | max ebb | 2.4 mph |
Thursday, September 17
| Time | Stage | Speed |
|---|---|---|
| 12:24 AM | slack | — |
| 01:51 AM | max flood | 0.4 mph |
| 03:22 AM | slack | — |
| 07:38 AM | max ebb | 2.1 mph |
| 11:14 AM | slack | — |
| 02:20 PM | max flood | 1.8 mph |
| 05:27 PM | slack | — |
| 08:49 PM | max ebb | 2.2 mph |
Flood runs upriver (north), ebb runs downriver (south). Speeds are the peak for that stage; slack water is the turn between them.
Water temperature
73.2°F – 74.8°F
Over the last 36 hours at The Battery: low of 73.2°F at 6am Wed, high of 74.8°F at 9pm Mon.
Forecast
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. South wind 3 to 8 mph.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind 6 to 8 mph becoming west after midnight.
Recent rainfall
None
No measurable rain at Central Park in the last 24 hours.
Rainfall matters here because it drives the sewer overflows behind water quality advisories.
Water quality advisory
No advisory for Hudson River (Manhattan) as of 7am Wed.
2 of 45 NYC waterbodies are on advisory right now.
Rainfall at the North River gauge: 0.00 in over 24 hours, 1.64 in over 96 hours. An advisory can outlast the rain that caused it.
Hudson River (Manhattan) is DEC class SB: best usages are primary and secondary contact recreation and fishing.
Reading the currents
The Hudson at Pier 66 is a tidal river, not a lake. Twice a day it floods (north, upriver) and twice it ebbs (south, downriver), and around slack water it briefly does neither. The stronger the current, the harder it is to hold position on the pitch — and the more serious a swim becomes, because a paddler out of their boat drifts with the river while everyone else is trying to reach them.
This is why our summer sessions carry level restrictions. If you are new, check with the session host before signing up, and respect any session marked Advanced/Expert Only. See the schedule for what each session type involves.