Surf Forecasts:
Croatan surf forecast from 13 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 15 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 9s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 13 Jul, 2PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 6s period, E swell with 153 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 15 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 9s period with SE 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 Wednesday (Jul 15) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Croatan in the next 16 days are 1.4m 6s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 13) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 16) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Wed 15th Jul) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Wed 15th Jul) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Mon 13th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Croatan over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be honest about the next two weeks at Croatan. Looking at the whole picture, it’s a pretty grim stretch. We’ve got a full 16 days on the calendar, but the surf is going to be a real struggle for most of it. There’s a long gap with nothing worth paddling out for from the start all the way through until the very end. The conditions are mostly poor, with onshore winds and weak, short-period windswell. The water is sitting at 80°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.
For the first week and a half, from July 13th right through July 27th, the call is basically "leave the board in the car." The swell is tiny, with heights barely scraping 3ft, and the energy is weak (between 13 and 224). The wind is a mess – mostly onshore or cross-onshore, making it choppy and bumpy. It's just not worth the effort.
Now, there is a glimmer right at the very end. On July 28th afternoon, we finally see a change. The wind swings offshore from the W, and the waves, while still small at 1ft from the ESE with an 8-second period, become clean. The combined energy is still weak (54), but it’s the only window with clean, surfable conditions. It’s not a standout by any stretch, just the only option. The break is a beach/jetty here, so the long-period groundswell isn't a factor, but we don't have any. For beginner surfers, this tiny, clean surf is about as safe as it gets.
If you’re really desperate for a paddle, that Tuesday afternoon is your only shot. The rest of the period is a write-off, and frankly, the setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer on most days with that consistent onshore wind.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 32°C on Wed afternoon, min 22°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sat night. Warm (max 34°C on Sat afternoon, min 24°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SW on Thu morning, fresh winds from the SSW by Sat night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | |||||||||||||||
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) | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | ESE 6 | E 6 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSE 4 | S 4 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSE 6 | E 3 | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | SSE 7 | SE 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 148 | 137 | 63 | 43 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 22 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 24 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 27 | 21 | 35 | 67 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | on | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 7:40PM1.34m | 8:07AM1.02m | 8:34PM1.34m | 9:02AM1.07m | 9:26PM1.30m | 9:56AM1.10m | 10:15PM1.24m | 10:48AM1.11m | 11:03PM1.16m | 11:39AM1.11m | 11:49PM1.06m | 12:29PM1.10m | 00:34AM0.96m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:10PM-0.12m | 2:12AM-0.10m | 2:07PM-0.14m | 3:02AM-0.12m | 3:02PM-0.13m | 3:50AM-0.12m | 3:56PM-0.09m | 4:38AM-0.10m | 4:50PM-0.03m | 5:25AM-0.06m | 5:46PM0.04m | 6:11AM-0.02m | 6:44PM0.11m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | | |  | |  |  | |
 | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — |
 | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:20 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 2 | 1 |
Temp °C | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 33 | 33 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 34 | 31 | 30 | 33 | 27 |
Feels °C | 25 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 30 | 32 | 31 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 30 | 35 | 27 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSE 5 | ESE 6 | E 6 | E 5 | SE 6 | ESE 8 | SE 4 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | S 4 | ESE 8 | SE 3 | SSE 6 | ESE 7 | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | SSE 7 | SE 8 |
| kJ | — | — | 11 | 43 | 16 | 9 | 11 | 22 | 7 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 27 | 21 | 35 | 67 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 6 | SE 6 | E 6 | E 8 | ESE 8 | SSW 3 | E 6 | E 15 | ESE 8 | SSE 4 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSE 6 | NE 4 | NE 4 | ENE 4 | NE 5 |
| kJ | — | — | 15 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | — | E 16 | SE 5 | E 15 | E 15 | E 15 | E 14 | S 6 | E 10 | E 13 | E 8 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 15 | 15 | 15 | — | 5 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | — | — | WSW 2 | SSE 3 | SW 4 | — | SSE 4 | S 4 | — | — | — | E 3 | E 3 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 148 | 137 | 63 | 35 | — | — | 1 | 7 | 10 | — | 14 | 24 | — | — | — | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1137 | 252 | 242 | 137 | 1132 | 78 | 138 | 378 | 175 | 594 | 2672 | 175 | 572 | 176 | 1231 | 771 | 940 | 694 | 290 | 78 | 138 |
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The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Croatan surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
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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