Each of the surfers who crested the dunes on Wednesday afternoon at Waverly Beach said some variation of the same thing: "Whoa, where did they come from?"

Chest-high waves were rolling in shortly after high tide, and the conditions got better into the evening. The little swell broke a two-week spell of relatively flat water and came courtesy of a low-pressure system stalled out over the Atlantic Ocean.

Look for more of the same on Thursday, which means good news for the Chip Miller Surf and Turf event. Steady northeast winds in the morning will keep conditions choppy, but the breeze is expected to fade through the day.

The ocean temperature is toasty warm at 78 degrees. Low tide is at 8:49 a.m., and high tide at 3:22 p.m.

Up on the beach, the weather should be equally fine. The National Weather Service calls for a mostly sunny day with a high near 85 degrees.

The Ocean City Beach Patrol will protect 43 beaches on the island until 5 p.m. today. 

Here are some ways to keep tabs on the weather in real time:

• Heritage Surf surf cam at Fourth Street: Surf cam
• The Surfers View surf cam at Second Street: Surf cam
• 48th Street: Beach cam
• Ocean water temperature: At Atlantic City's Steel Pier
• Bay temperature and tide levels at the Bayside Center (Sixth and Bay) in Ocean City