Croatan Surf Break

Lat Long: 36.79° N 75.96° W

Croatan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 05 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Croatan sea temperature is
27.3°C
2.8° 

Croatan surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Croatan surf forecast from 5 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 9 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 9s period, ENE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 6s period, ENE swell with 151 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 9 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 9s 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 Wednesday (Sep 09) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 5s. 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 1.5m 6s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 10) at 2AM.

Wave TypeTime (EDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5AM (Wed 9th Sep)1.5ft (0.4m) 9s
Best Surf 5AM (Wed 9th Sep)1.5ft (0.4m) 9s
Most Powerful11AM (Mon 7th Sep)5ft (1.5m) 6s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Croatan over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for the Croatan area over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, I gotta be straight with you. This forecast is a tough one to swallow. We're looking at a long, dry spell with hardly any surf worth paddling out for. The first week and a half is basically a write-off, with nothing but tiny, weak, and often choppy conditions. The first real chance of anything even remotely surfable doesn't show up until Sunday, September 13th, and even then, it's ordinary.

Let's break it down. Right from the start, Saturday the 5th, we've got tiny 0.7ft swell from the ESE with a short 8-second period. The combined energy is a measly 17 (weak energy). The wind is cross-off in the morning, so it's clean, but there's just nothing to ride. It's like a lake out there. We go through a whole week of this – tiny swell, often onshore wind, and a lot of chop. The water temperature is 81°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, a real anomaly. But that's not much comfort when you're just bobbing around.

Monday the 7th sees a jump in height to 5ft, but the period drops to a pathetic 6 seconds, and it's a messy onshore wind. The energy is moderate (159), but it's all wind chop and closeouts. Not a good look for a paddle. For a beach/jetty setup like Croatan, that's more kite-surfing territory than surfboard.

The first slight glimmer comes on Sunday, September 13th. The morning is glassy, with a 3ft swell from the ENE. The period is still short at 7 seconds, but the glassy conditions are a major positive. The energy is still low (78). It's surfable, but very ordinary. You might get a few fun little ones if you're a beginner, but don't expect much.

Then there's another gap. The next time we see a "surfable" rating is on Saturday, September 20th. The morning is clean with a cross-off wind from the SSW, and a 2ft swell from the ENE with a short 5-second period. The energy is low (52). Again, it's clean, but the waves are tiny and weak.

So, to sum it up: there is no standout session in this 16-day window. The best you can hope for is a clean, glassy morning with tiny, weak waves. For a beginner, those Sunday the 13th and Saturday the 20th mornings might be okay for a splash, but for anyone looking for a real wave, it's a bust. The long gap with no recommendations at the start tells the story. Stay patient, and check back in a few days.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 29°C on Sat afternoon, min 23°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 33°C on Thu afternoon, min 22°C on Tue night). Mainly fresh winds.

Saturday
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Friday
11
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.2
ESE
8
0.2
ESE
8
0.2
ESE
8
0.2
ESE
8
0.3
ENE
8
0.7
ENE
4
1.5
ENE
6
1.2
E
7
0.7
ENE
10
0.6
ENE
10
0.5
ENE
9
0.4
ENE
9
0.4
NE
9
0.4
NE
8
0.2
ESE
9
0.2
ESE
9
0.4
SE
9
0.5
SSE
6
0.8
NE
5
0.8
NE
5
0.6
NE
4
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
6
6
6
6
12
16
151
126
81
63
50
32
20
18
8
8
20
22
30
31
9
Wind (km/h)
15
N
15
NNE
10
ESE
20
ENE
15
NE
15
ENE
25
ENE
20
ENE
10
E
10
ENE
15
ESE
15
S
5
SSW
25
SSE
25
SW
25
WSW
10
NW
30
NNE
20
N
15
NNE
15
E
Wind State
cross-off
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-on
on
High Tide
3:06PM1.19m
3:34AM0.92m
4:18PM1.20m
4:45AM0.98m
5:24PM1.23m
5:49AM1.06m
6:20PM1.25m
6:45AM1.15m
7:10PM1.26m
7:35AM1.22m
7:56PM1.25m
8:22AM1.28m
8:39PM1.21m
Low Tide
8:34AM0.12m
9:45PM0.20m
9:40AM0.10m
10:49PM0.17m
10:47AM0.08m
11:48PM0.12m
11:51AM0.04m
00:41AM0.06m
12:50PM0.00m
1:28AM0.01m
1:44PM-0.02m
2:11AM-0.02m
2:33PM-0.01m
2:51AM-0.02m
clear
part cloud
thunderstorm
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:37
6:37
6:39
6:39
6:39
6:41
6:41
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:25
7:24
7:23
7:22
7:21
7:19
7:17
 mm
8
Temp °C
28
29
26
26
26
26
24
24
24
25
25
24
24
27
25
28
33
31
23
24
24
Feels °C
29
31
27
25
24
25
22
21
23
23
23
22
24
24
23
26
33
33
22
21
22
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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