Surf Forecasts:
Croatan surf forecast from 23 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 26 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 6s period, ENE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 28 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 8s period, SSE swell with 170 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 26 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 6s period with ENE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Croatan this week:
The surf forecast for Croatan over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Croatan in the next 16 days are 1.2m 8s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Tue 28th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Croatan over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. We’ve got a 16-day window, but I’m not gonna lie to you, it’s a quiet one for Croatan. The whole period is basically a long stretch of small, choppy, and mostly poor surf. We’re looking at a big gap of days with nothing really worth paddling out for.
The first few days through Thursday the 24th and into the weekend are a write-off. We’re dealing with tiny, weak swell in the 2ft to 3ft range, coming from the SSE or NE, but with a nasty cross-onshore wind messing things up. The combined energy is weak, barely hitting 55 (54-55). It’s just choppy and poor.
That pattern holds through the end of July. The wind stays cross-onshore, and the swell stays small and weak. The energy is all in the two-digit range, never gaining any real punch. The standout (and I use that term loosely) is Tuesday morning, the 30th of July. It’s still small, but we get a clean window with a light cross-offshore breeze from the NW at 3 mph. The swell is tiny, 2ft from the SE, but the combined energy is still only 59. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. Not exactly a day to call in sick for.
We roll into August with more of the same. The morning of Monday the 4th of August is worth a mention. The wind drops to zero, leaving it glassy. The swell is a pathetic 2ft from the SE, period around 7 seconds, and the energy is 66. It’s clean, but you’ll be scratching for a wave. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is about average for the time of year, so no need for a thick wetsuit.
The best of the entire outlook, if you can call it that, is Wednesday the 5th of August and Thursday the 6th of August. We get a tiny bump in size, up to 4ft, from the ENE. The energy climbs to 97, which is still weak. The morning of the 5th is clean with a cross-offshore SSW wind at 9 mph. The 6th is also clean in the morning. Friday the 7th of August offers a clean morning too, but again, it’s small stuff at 2ft to 3ft.
Honestly, there’s nothing here that’s going to get the heart pumping. For a beginner, the tiny, clean morning on the 4th of August might be a safe place to learn. For the rest of us, it’s a waiting game. The forecast can change, but right now, the surf is pretty flat.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Thu morning. Warm (max 24°C on Sat afternoon, min 21°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Sun night. Warm (max 30°C on Tue afternoon, min 20°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | SSE 7 | NE 5 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | SSE 4 | ESE 8 | SSE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | NE 5 | SE 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 26 | 32 | 21 | 34 | 31 | 39 | 53 | 40 | 33 | 41 | 34 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 29 | 19 | 68 | 140 | 49 | 31 | 54 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | on | on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:02PM1.02m | 4:12AM0.72m | 4:58PM1.03m | 5:15AM0.73m | 5:50PM1.05m | 6:09AM0.76m | 6:37PM1.08m | 6:56AM0.81m | 7:20PM1.10m | 7:40AM0.86m | 8:00PM1.12m | 8:21AM0.91m | 8:39PM1.13m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:18AM0.17m | 10:33PM0.25m | 10:10AM0.20m | 11:29PM0.24m | 11:04AM0.20m | 00:21AM0.21m | 11:58AM0.18m | 1:06AM0.17m | 12:48PM0.16m | 1:45AM0.13m | 1:34PM0.13m | 2:22AM0.09m | 2:17PM0.11m | 2:57AM0.06m | |||||||
 |  |  |  |  |  | | |  |  | |  | | |  | | | | | | | |
 | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — |
 | — | 8:17 | — | — | 8:16 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:13 | — |
mm | 13 | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 26 | 30 | 24 | 24 | 27 | 26 |
Feels °C | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 28 | 30 | 23 | 22 | 28 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 7 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | SSE 5 | NE 6 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 |
| kJ | 26 | 15 | 18 | 34 | 31 | 28 | 33 | 22 | 33 | 35 | 26 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 140 | 49 | 28 | 54 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SE 6 | S 6 | — | SE 5 | — | SSE 6 | — | — | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ENE 6 | NE 5 | ENE 5 | ESE 8 | E 8 | ENE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | ENE 5 |
| kJ | 17 | 8 | 3 | — | 1 | — | 13 | — | — | 41 | 34 | 23 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 19 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 16 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 6 | E 10 | — | E 9 | — | NE 8 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | 7 | — | 3 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 4 | NE 5 | NE 4 | ENE 5 | ENE 4 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | — | — | — | SE 3 | SSE 4 | WSW 4 | SSE 7 | WSW 3 | NNE 3 | NE 5 | — |
| kJ | 11 | 32 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 39 | 53 | 40 | 29 | 34 | — | — | — | 3 | 29 | 16 | 68 | 1 | 7 | 31 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 255 | 138 | 78 | 355 | 138 | 138 | 242 | 176 | 242 | 242 | 1142 | 0 | 138 | 242 | 95 | 78 | 16 | 0 | 176 | 137 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Virginia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Croatan Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Croatan provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Croatan can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Croatan 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 (Croatan) 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 Croatan 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.
Croatan is 7 km (4 miles) from the city of Virginia Beach. If you plan a vacation in Virginia, look for hotels and other accommodation in Virginia Beach. Virginia Beach has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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