Surf Forecasts:
Croatan surf forecast from 6 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 8 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 8s period, SSE swell with 73 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Croatan this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Croatan in the next 16 days are 0.8m 8s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 08) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Croatan over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is a tough one to call. I’m looking at the whole 16-day window and honestly, it’s a flat spell for the most part. We’ve got a long gap with basically nothing worth paddling out for. The first real recommendation doesn’t show up until the morning of Friday, 21 August, and even then, it’s pretty ordinary. Before that, it’s a whole lot of small, weak, and messy days.
The only spot on the cards is Croatan. It’s a beach and jetty setup, exposed to the swell, and it’s fairly consistent, but that doesn’t mean much when the ocean’s this quiet. The water is sitting at about 79°, which is bang on average for the time of year, so nothing weird there.
From Thursday, 6 August right through to Thursday, 20 August, it’s just day after day of tiny waves, mostly under 2ft, with short periods around 4 to 8 seconds. The combined energy is weak, often in the teens or twenties, and the wind is all over the place. There are a few windows of clean, glassy conditions, like Sunday morning, 16 August, when it goes glassy with 0.7ft, but there’s nothing to ride. A couple of afternoons, like Friday, 14 August, go glassy with 1ft, but again, it’s just too small.
Then we finally get a sniff of something on the morning of Friday, 21 August. It’s still small, with a 2ft swell from the SSE, and a period of 6 seconds – that’s short-period, windswell stuff. The wind is a cross-offshore breeze from the WSW at 15 mph, which will keep it looking clean. The combined energy finally climbs a bit to 44, but it’s still weak. The report says it’s “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” and that’s about right. It’s not bad, but it’s not good. The afternoon gets a bit messy with a light cross-shore.
So, if you’re desperate, the morning of Friday, 21 August is your best bet, but it’s a real low bar. For beginners, that 2ft is fine and safe. For anyone else, it’s just a waist-high knee-slapper. Don’t get your hopes up for anything else in this window.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 33°C on Sat afternoon, min 24°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sun afternoon. Warm (max 35°C on Mon afternoon, min 24°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 6 | SSE 4 | S 5 | SSE 6 | SE 7 | S 5 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SSE 5 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SSE 6 | SE 6 | S 4 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | S 6 | SSE 5 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 31 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 14 | 40 | 44 | 31 | 42 | 13 | 17 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 12 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 2:16PM1.16m | 2:36AM0.87m | 3:20PM1.18m | 3:44AM0.87m | 4:28PM1.21m | 4:54AM0.91m | 5:33PM1.25m | 5:59AM0.97m | 6:33PM1.29m | 6:57AM1.05m | 7:27PM1.31m | 7:52AM1.12m | 8:17PM1.30m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:54PM0.16m | 8:48AM0.05m | 9:58PM0.15m | 9:50AM0.03m | 11:03PM0.12m | 10:55AM0.01m | 00:05AM0.07m | 11:59AM-0.03m | 1:02AM0.01m | 12:59PM-0.07m | 1:52AM-0.04m | 1:56PM-0.09m | 2:39AM-0.07m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | |  | | | | |  | | | | | | | | |  |  | |
 | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — |
 | — | 8:05 | — | — | 8:04 | — | — | 8:02 | — | — | 8:01 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:59 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 7 |
Temp °C | 28 | 32 | 30 | 29 | 32 | 30 | 29 | 33 | 31 | 29 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 35 | 30 | 31 | 35 | 32 | 28 | 30 | 24 |
Feels °C | 30 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 33 | 31 | 29 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 32 | 31 | 33 | 35 | 31 | 32 | 35 | 35 | 30 | 31 | 26 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 6 | E 10 | SE 6 | SSE 6 | SE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SSE 5 | S 5 | SE 7 | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | SE 6 | ESE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | — | SSE 5 |
| kJ | 31 | 2 | 10 | 26 | 14 | 28 | 44 | 31 | 42 | 7 | 17 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 18 | 6 | — | 12 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 11 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | ESE 7 | SE 7 | E 9 | SE 7 | ESE 7 | — | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SE 8 | NE 3 | SE 8 | ESE 8 |
| kJ | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 13 | 2 | 11 | 4 | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 8 | E 9 | E 11 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | SE 8 | E 8 | E 8 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSE 4 | S 5 | WSW 3 | SSE 4 | S 5 | SSW 4 | S 4 | WSW 3 | WSW 3 | S 3 | SW 3 | — | — | S 4 | WSW 3 | S 3 | WSW 3 | WSW 2 | S 6 | WSW 3 |
| kJ | — | 27 | 28 | 1 | 10 | 40 | 11 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 10 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 78 | 1137 | 395 | 78 | 1258 | 137 | 0 | 228 | 0 | 175 | 175 | 258 | 540 | 1231 | 852 | 2065 | 2462 | 294 | 294 | 1365 | 294 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Virginia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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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