Surf Forecasts:
Croatan surf forecast from 29 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 2 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 9s period, SE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 11s period, ESE swell with 99 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 2 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 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 (Sep 02) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.3m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 4s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s is also forecast. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 4s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Croatan in the next 16 days are 0.7m 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 30) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Croatan over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you—this forecast is a tough one. We’re looking at a solid 16-day window, but honestly, it's a flat spell with no real swell to get excited about for most of it. The first surfable day doesn't show up until Thursday, September 3rd, and even then, it's barely a ripple.
Right now, from Saturday, August 29th, through Wednesday, September 2nd, it's all small, weak, and messy. The combined energy is stuck in the double digits, meaning there's just no push. Winds are either onshore or cross, turning the water into a bit of a washing machine. Not worth paddling out for.
The first glimmer of hope comes on Thursday, September 3rd at Croatan, a beach/jetty break. Early morning we’ve got a westerly offshore breeze at 9 mph, cleaning up the tiny 1 ft ESE swell. The period is a short 9 seconds, so it's not going to have much punch, but at least the surface will be clean. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The afternoon gets even cleaner with a light cross-offshore wind. The combined energy is still weak, so we're talking learner waves, but if you're desperate for a glide, the morning session is your best bet. It's a beginner-friendly spot, and it's fairly consistent, so you might pick off a few ankle-biters.
After that, the forecast dries up again. Friday, September 4th, through Tuesday, September 8th, it's back to tiny dribbles and onshore slop, with combined energy mostly in the teens and twenties. There's a slight uptick on Wednesday, September 9th, with a 2 ft SE swell and a period of 11 seconds, giving it a bit more shape, but the winds are onshore or cross-onshore, turning it choppy. The combined energy hits 143, which is moderate, but the wind messes it up.
To be honest, if you’re looking for a stand-out, Thursday, September 3rd morning is the only real window. It’s not going to be epic, but it's the cleanest we’re going to get. For the rest of the run, it's more of a sand-scrubbing session than a surf.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 31°C on Mon afternoon, min 24°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 38°C on Thu afternoon, min 25°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 9 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 22 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 12 | 17 | 28 | 99 | 56 | 48 | 31 | 30 | 14 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off | cross | on | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross |
High Tide | 8:47PM1.17m | 9:10AM1.15m | 9:26PM1.15m | 9:50AM1.19m | 10:06PM1.12m | 10:32AM1.22m | 10:49PM1.07m | 11:16AM1.23m | 11:34PM1.02m | 12:04PM1.23m | 00:23AM0.97m | 12:57PM1.22m | 1:18AM0.93m | ||||||
Low Tide | 2:57AM0.03m | 3:17PM0.08m | 3:34AM0.02m | 4:01PM0.09m | 4:12AM0.02m | 4:47PM0.11m | 4:54AM0.04m | 5:38PM0.14m | 5:40AM0.06m | 6:35PM0.17m | 6:32AM0.09m | 7:36PM0.20m | |||||||
 |  |  | |  | |  | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — |
 | 7:37 | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:34 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — |
mm | 4 | 2 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 28 | 26 | 29 | 31 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 28 | 32 | 38 | 34 |
Feels °C | 31 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 31 | 33 | 30 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 33 | 34 | 30 | 33 | 39 | 36 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ENE 5 | ENE 4 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SSE 4 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 |
| kJ | 22 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 9 | 4 | 13 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 99 | 56 | 48 | 31 | 30 | 14 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 5 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 5 | E 8 | S 4 | ESE 8 | SE 9 | S 5 | — | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 5 |
| kJ | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 20 | 4 | — | 2 | 10 | 10 | 6 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | ENE 10 | — | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 4 | E 9 | E 9 | — | ESE 8 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | — | — | — | S 3 | — | SSE 4 |
| kJ | 8 | 10 | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | 7 | 17 | 28 | — | — | — | 1 | — | 4 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NE 3 | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | — | — | SSW 3 | SW 3 | SSE 2 | S 4 | — | — | S 4 | — | — | S 3 | WNW 2 | — | NW 3 |
| kJ | — | 7 | 10 | 15 | — | — | 6 | 1 | 1 | 8 | — | — | 6 | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | 2 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 82 | 138 | 138 | 138 | 78 | 413 | 292 | 138 | 1145 | 1137 | 138 | 267 | 0 | 0 | 2301 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 356 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Virginia | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
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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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