Croatan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s cookin’ at Croatan over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this ain’t exactly a firing stretch. We’re looking at a long run of pretty ordinary conditions for the next week or so. The water temp is sitting at a warm 80.2°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t be shivering while you’re waiting for something to happen.

The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t show up until Sunday, September 7th. That morning, we’ve got a small increase in energy with a combined swell energy reading of 123 (moderate) coming from the ENE at 3ft with a 9-second period. It’s not huge, but the wind is a light cross-onshore, so it might be a bit bumpy and messy. Not a standout, just a "maybe if you’re desperate" kind of day. That afternoon the wind picks up and it gets choppy.

We get a couple of days in the middle of the week that are small and clean – Wednesday the 10th afternoon looks glassy with a 3.6ft swell from the SSE, but the period is a short 4 seconds, so it’ll be weak and crumbly. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

The best of the whole outlook, and the only real standout I’d point you toward, is Thursday the 10th afternoon. That glassy wind with the swell at 3.6ft from the SSE gives you the cleanest, most user-friendly conditions of the whole run. The energy is weak (57), but for a beginner-friendly setup like Croatan’s beach/jetty, that’s honestly fine. It’s the only time in the whole outlook where the conditions line up for a genuinely pleasant session. Just know the swell period is short, so the waves will be a bit fat and slow.

After that, the second week is pretty flat and windswept. Friday the 11th morning has a fresh 19 mph cross-shore wind, making a mess of things, and from there it’s a whole lot of nothing until the 14th, when we get another little clean morning with a 1.3ft ESE swell. It’s rideable but very small.

To sum it up: the best bet is Thursday afternoon, September 10th. It’s glassy, small, and clean – perfect for a longboard or a funboard cruise. The rest of the 16 days are mostly flat or choppy, so don’t hold your breath.

Read more