Croatan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this forecast is a tough one. We’re looking at a long, dry spell for the Croatan (beach/jetty) area. There’s a quiet stretch of about a week before we even see a sniff of something surfable.

We kick off Friday, 24 July through to Thursday, 30 July with nothing but poor surf. The swell is tiny, barely 2 ft to 3 ft from the Southeast and East, with short periods of 5 to 8 seconds. On top of that, the wind is mostly cross-onshore, making it choppy and messy. The water temp is sitting at 79°, which is bang on average for the time of year, so no surprises there. The combined swell energy is weak (a value of 67), so there’s just no push at all. It’s a write-off.

Then we hit a bit of a blank. From Friday, 31 July right through to Tuesday, 5 August, it’s the same story – tiny, weak waves, poor conditions, and scores that barely register. The energy is all under 100, and the swell is coming from the Northeast and Southeast with periods under 8 seconds. It’s flat, or close to it.

Now, Wednesday, 6 August morning, we finally see a flicker. Still nothing to write home about – 0.7 ft from the ESE with a period of 7 seconds, but the wind is light and cross-offshore. The combined energy is just 8. We’re talking about knee-high ripples. It’s *surfable* only if you’re desperate, but it’s not a recommendation.

The real hope, if you can call it that, lands on Thursday, 7 August. The morning shows a bit of a bump: 2 ft from the SSE at a period of 5 seconds, but the wind is cross-offshore from the SW. The combined energy is still low (22). It’s a small, clean wave, but it’s short period windswell. It’s not going to be a classic, but it’s the best we’re going to get. The afternoon is similar.

Friday, 8 August, is a repeat of that small, clean, cross-offshore windswell. It’s a tiny wave for a longboard or a foil, but it’s the only window. Don’t expect barrels.

The standout day in this whole 16-day window is Thursday, 30 July, with a combined energy hitting 100, but the swell is still only 3 ft at 9 seconds from the SE. The wind is clean, cross-offshore from the NNW. If you’re a beginner, this is about as good as it gets. It’s not big, but it’s clean. For the rest of us, it’s a stretch.

Truth is, there’s no real “good” surf here. The best we can say is that from Thursday, 7 August, we might see a couple of mornings of clean, tiny waves. It’s a long wait for not much, but that’s how it goes sometimes.

Rusty.

Read more