
Surf Forecasts:
Chicahauk surf forecast from 9 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 9 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 9s period, ENE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 12 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 10s period, ESE swell with 125 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 9 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 9s period with ENE 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 (Sep 09) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m 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 0.8m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 12) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 10) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Wed 9th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Wed 9th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Sat 12th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Chicahauk over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. The outlook for the next 16 days is a tough one. We’ve got a lot of time where the conditions just aren’t coming together, with mostly tiny swell and messy wind. There’s a glimmer here and there, but you’ll have to be patient.
The best bet across the whole period is a brief window on Thursday morning the 10th of September at Chicahauk. We’re looking at a tiny 2ft swell rolling in from the SE, but the real story is the wind. It’s blowing offshore out of the SW at 15 mph, which will keep the surface clean. It’s not going to be a big day, but with the offshore wind, those little waves will be rideable and a whole lot more fun than the rest of the junk we’re looking at. The water is sitting at 82°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so you can leave the thick wetsuit at home. The combined wave energy is weak, only 56, but clean surf is clean surf.
Now, let’s walk through the rest. The forecast starts with nothing. Tuesday the 8th sees a 2ft swell from the ENE, but with a cross-on wind, it’s just a choppy mess. Wednesday the 9th is glassy in the morning, but the swell is tiny at 1ft, so it’s a flat calm. The afternoon picks up a cross-shore breeze that messes up the surface.
After that Thursday morning window, the quality drops right off. Thursday afternoon drops to 1.0ft, and by Friday the 11th, we’re back to onshore winds and rain showers. The weekend of the 12th and 13th is a write-off, with onshore breezes, tiny swell, and even a risk of thunderstorms. The week that follows is similar: small, choppy, and uninspiring.
There’s a slight uptick in energy around the 21st and 23rd of September, with combined swell energy climbing into the low hundreds (104 and 136), but it’s all coming from NNE with short period around 6-7 seconds, and the wind is howling onshore from the NE at 25-28 mph. That’s a recipe for a blown-out, messy shorebreak. For a sandbar setup like Chicahauk, that’s more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. The swell is too weak and the wind too strong for any decent surf.
So, my honest call: mark your calendar for Thursday the 10th of September for the cleanest, most surfable session. The rest of the 16 days is a long stretch of lean times, but don’t lose hope, it always turns around eventually.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 30°C on Thu afternoon, min 23°C on Wed morning). Winds increasing (calm on Wed morning, fresh winds from the SSW by Thu night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Sun morning. Warm (max 27°C on Sun afternoon, min 24°C on Fri afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | NE 8 | NE 8 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 4 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | NNE 5 | NE 5 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
71 | 30 | 18 | 17 | 32 | 40 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 21 | 38 | 36 | 34 | 36 | 49 | 46 | 46 | 47 | 68 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | off | cross | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 6:05PM1.29m | 6:37AM1.16m | 6:59PM1.30m | 7:29AM1.24m | 7:46PM1.29m | 8:14AM1.30m | 8:29PM1.25m | 8:56AM1.33m | 9:09PM1.19m | 9:37AM1.32m | 9:50PM1.12m | 10:20AM1.29m | 10:33PM1.05m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:37AM0.12m | 12:45PM0.11m | 1:24AM0.05m | 1:39PM0.07m | 2:05AM0.02m | 2:26PM0.07m | 2:43AM0.02m | 3:11PM0.11m | 3:20AM0.07m | 3:57PM0.18m | 3:58AM0.15m | 4:45PM0.27m | 4:39AM0.25m | |||||||
— | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | |
7:21 | — | — | 7:19 | — | — | 7:17 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:12 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 4 | 12 | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 24 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 30 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 24 | 25 | 25 |
Feels °C | 24 | 22 | 26 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 29 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 27 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 25 | 27 | 26 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 9 | SE 6 | ESE 6 | SE 6 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 10 | NE 5 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 |
71 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 32 | 40 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 11 | 20 | 38 | 36 | 3 | 20 | 12 | 46 | 46 | 27 | 26 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 5 | ENE 9 | NE 8 | ESE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | E 11 | — | E 9 | E 8 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 5 | S 5 | E 6 | E 15 |
6 | 30 | 18 | 15 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 14 | 15 | 9 | — | 2 | 1 | 36 | 49 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 4 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 9 | NE 6 | ESE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | SE 7 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | — | — | E 9 | — | E 8 | E 7 | S 4 | — | S 5 | E 15 |
7 | 9 | 7 | 17 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 5 | — | — | — | S 3 | SW 3 | S 4 | SSW 4 | NW 3 | NNE 4 | NE 5 | ENE 5 | E 4 | ESE 4 | — | SSW 3 | WSW 3 | N 4 | NNE 5 | NE 5 |
5 | — | — | — | 8 | 3 | 27 | 29 | 3 | 13 | 21 | 37 | 20 | 34 | — | 1 | 2 | 21 | 47 | 68 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 440 | 0 | 2031 | 1699 | 440 | 0 | 422 | 203 | 61 | 437 | 624 | 1093 | 1269 | 759 | 100 | 87 | 0 | 100 | 100 | 437 |
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.










