Croatan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s happening at Croatan for the next couple of weeks.

First off, I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough stretch. The water temperature is sitting at 80°, which is about 2° warmer than normal for this time of year, so it’s a little above average. But the surf? Man, it’s a grind. From the 19th of August all the way through to the 27th of August, we’re looking at a long run of tiny, weak, and often messy conditions. The combined swell energy is barely cracking double digits for most of that time, with values like 21 (weak energy), 14, and 26 – just not enough push to get excited about. Winds are often cross or onshore, and the swell is mostly under 2 ft. There’s a few clean moments on the 22nd and 23rd with light cross-off winds, but the swell is still pathetic – 1.0 ft to 2 ft. It’s not really surfable.

Then, from the 28th of August, things start to get a little better. The 28th morning sees a slight improvement with 1 ft ESE swell, period 9 seconds, and clean cross-off winds. The afternoon goes glassy, with 2 ft SE swell. The combined energy is still low at 47 and 46 (weak energy), but at least you can paddle out and catch a few crumbly ones. The 29th morning is similar – 2 ft SE swell, period 8 seconds, clean cross-off, energy at 72 (weak). Still nothing to write home about, but it’s surfable.

Now, the real standout – and I mean the only one that might get your heart pumping – is the morning of the 30th of August. We’ve got 4 ft NE swell with a period of 6 seconds, and clean cross-off winds. The combined energy jumps to 175 (moderate energy). That’s the biggest swell we’ve seen in this whole forecast. The wind is clean, so it’ll be rideable. Just a heads up – that 4 ft is getting a little tall for beginners, but it’s still manageable for most surfers. The short period (6 seconds) means it’ll be a bit choppy and less powerful, but with the clean wind, it’s our best window.

After that, the 31st of August and into early September picks up some more energy – 3 ft ENE swell on the 1st of September morning with 260 (moderate energy) – but the wind is cross-on and choppy, so it’s a bit of a mess. The swell is there, but the quality is poor. Croatan is a beach/jetty break, so it can handle a bit of wind, but this is getting rough for paddle surfing. Honestly, that setup on the 1st of September with moderate wind and cross-on conditions might be more interesting for kite surfing than regular surfing.

To sum it up: there’s very little to recommend until the 28th of August, and even then it’s small. Your best bet is the morning of the 30th of August with the 4 ft NE swell and clean wind. After that, the energy builds but the wind turns ugly. Keep an eye on the forecasts, because right now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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