
Surf Forecasts:
Chicahauk surf forecast from 14 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 15 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 6s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 8s period, S swell with 295 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 15 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 6s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Chicahauk this week:
The surf forecast for Chicahauk over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Chicahauk in the next 16 days are 1.5m 8s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 18) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Wed 15th Jul) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Wed 15th Jul) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Chicahauk over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Hey folks, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's in the water for Chicahauk over the next couple of weeks. Honestly, it's a bit of a slow start—we're looking at a stretch of mostly small, weak, and messy surf for the first few days. The real action, if you can call it that, doesn't really kick in until the end of the first week and into the second.
The forecast opens with pretty poor conditions. Tuesday morning, July 14th, you've got a weak 3 ft east swell with a short, choppy 6-second period, and an onshore wind from the ENE at 12 mph. The combined wave energy is a low 116, and it's just a messy, poor surf situation. That holds through the week: tiny waves, often onshore or cross-shore winds, and energy readings dropping into the teens and single digits. Not worth paddling for.
The first glimmer of something surfable comes on the morning of Sunday, July 19th. A new 3 ft SSE swell shows up, with a period of 7 seconds, and the wind swings offshore from the WSW at 12 mph. The energy bumps up to 61, and the description reads "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." It's a 1/10, so keep expectations low. The afternoon gets a little better with a 4 ft south swell, 8-second period, and a clean cross-off breeze. That energy jumps to 153, which is moderate, but it's still only a 1/10. It's rideable, but nothing to phone home about.
After a couple more days of junk—Monday the 20th has strong onshore winds and rain, Tuesday the 21st brings a windswell with a tiny 4-second period—things start to look a bit more interesting heading into the second week. Wednesday, July 22nd, sees a 4 ft ENE swell, but it's still wind-affected and choppy. The energy is moderate at 139–192.
The standout window, and the best bet on offer, is from Thursday, July 23rd, through Monday, July 27th. The swell direction shifts, and we get a few mornings with clean, surfable waves. The best of the bunch? Friday morning, July 24th, and Monday morning, July 27th. On Friday the 24th, a 3 ft SE swell with an 8-second period is met with a clean offshore wind from the SW at 12 mph. The energy is 155, and it's the only time the "moderate offshore and clean" vibe comes through. Monday the 27th is similar: a 4 ft ESE swell, 9-second period, light offshore from the SW at 9 mph, and energy of 184. The wind is light and the conditions are clean. That's your best window for a decent session.
Don't expect much after that. By Tuesday the 28th, the swell drops back to 3 ft and the energy fades into the 80s and lower. The crowd situation at Chicahauk is listed as "sometimes," so you might have company if it's breaking well, but given the overall mediocrity, it's likely to be quiet.
So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. The second week, specifically from the 23rd to the 27th, offers the only real chance at a surf. The 24th and 27th mornings are the picks, with clean offshore winds and a little bit of energy. It's not a classic, but it's something.
Stay patient, and keep an eye on the long-range.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 32°C on Thu afternoon, min 23°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 34°C on Sun afternoon, min 26°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri morning, strong winds from the SSW by Sat night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Mon 20 | |||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 6 | E 6 | ENE 6 | E 6 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 13 | SSE 7 | S 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
112 | 68 | 39 | 19 | 25 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 57 | 149 | 102 | 72 | 55 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | on | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-on |
High Tide | 7:55AM1.00m | 8:18PM1.35m | 8:49AM1.05m | 9:09PM1.31m | 9:42AM1.09m | 10:00PM1.25m | 10:37AM1.10m | 10:51PM1.16m | 11:30AM1.11m | 11:39PM1.06m | 12:19PM1.10m | 00:25AM0.96m | 1:08PM1.08m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:03AM-0.16m | 1:55PM-0.17m | 2:51AM-0.20m | 2:49PM-0.16m | 3:40AM-0.19m | 3:44PM-0.10m | 4:30AM-0.16m | 4:44PM-0.02m | 5:20AM-0.11m | 5:44PM0.07m | 6:06AM-0.04m | 6:42PM0.16m | 6:51AM0.04m | 7:41PM0.24m | |||||||
— | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — | |
8:21 | — | 8:20 | — | — | 8:20 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:17 | — | — | 8:17 | — | — | 8:16 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | 9 |
Temp °C | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 28 | 29 | 26 | 32 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 32 | 29 | 29 | 34 | 32 | 25 | 25 |
Feels °C | 24 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 31 | 29 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 28 | 30 | 35 | 32 | 27 | 26 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 5 | E 6 | ESE 9 | E 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | NNE 4 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 9 | SSE 7 | E 13 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 |
16 | 16 | 14 | 19 | 25 | 7 | 7 | 19 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 57 | 3 | 102 | 72 | 55 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 6 | SE 6 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | — | E 15 | E 6 | S 3 | SE 4 | ESE 8 | NNE 4 | E 9 | E 13 | E 13 | E 8 | SE 5 | E 12 | E 12 |
— | 32 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 12 | — | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | ESE 9 | ENE 6 | SE 6 | E 16 | E 16 | E 15 | E 15 | — | E 14 | E 10 | E 10 | — | E 13 | E 8 | — | — | — | E 11 |
— | — | — | 16 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | — | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 6 | E 6 | ENE 6 | — | — | — | SW 3 | WSW 3 | S 3 | S 4 | WSW 3 | — | SSE 4 | S 3 | S 4 | S 5 | SW 4 | S 8 | SW 4 | NNE 4 | NNE 4 |
112 | 68 | 39 | — | — | — | 5 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 1 | — | 1 | 4 | 13 | 60 | 16 | 149 | 42 | 7 | 9 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 183 | 203 | 1435 | 0 | 61 | 630 | 594 | 594 | 452 | 581 | 1075 | 1279 | 672 | 1269 | 2599 | 291 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 321 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Carolina | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Chicahauk Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Chicahauk provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Chicahauk can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Chicahauk surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Chicahauk) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Chicahauk may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Chicahauk is 52 km (32 miles) from the city of Elizabeth City. If you plan a vacation in North Carolina, look for hotels and other accommodation in Elizabeth City. Elizabeth City has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











