Surf Forecasts:
Croatan surf forecast from 13 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 13 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 10s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 16 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 8s period, ENE swell with 144 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 13 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 10s period with ESE 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 Sunday (Sep 13) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 4s. 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 1.0m 8s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 4s period and expected on Saturday (Sep 19) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Wed 16th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Croatan over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here again. Look, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it for Croatan. We've got a long dry spell before anything good shows up.
Right now and for most of the next week, it's a no-go. We're looking at tiny, weak swell and a lot of crummy wind. Sunday the 13th is a total washout with stormy weather and puny 1ft waves from the ESE with a weak period of 9-10 seconds. The energy is a lowly 41, and the cross-off breeze won't clean it up. Monday the 14th gets even worse with a messy onshore flow and lumpy conditions. Honestly, from now until Friday the 26th, it’s mostly poor with a mix of onshore and side-shore winds. There are a few moments of lighter wind, but the swell is tiny and the period is short. Don't bother.
The light at the end of the tunnel is the final weekend. Saturday the 26th is the real standout. We’ve got a 3ft to 3ft swell from the ESE, but the period stretches out to 9 seconds. The key is the wind: we’re seeing offshore and glassy conditions from the WNW to W, with very light breezes. The combined energy will be moderate (106-157), and the surf will be clean. It’s a beginner-friendly size and should be a blast on a log.
Then Sunday the 27th shapes up even better. The morning has a clean 3ft swell from the E with a 10-second period and a light side-offshore breeze. But the real gem is Sunday afternoon: glassy conditions, 3ft from the E, and a period of 10 seconds with a combined energy of 210. That’s a solid, clean wave for Croatan. The water is a very warm 80°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year.
Monday the 28th shows a long-period 12-second swell, but it’s coming in with a strong cross-on wind, making it choppy and poor. That’s a bummer because that swell would be killer if the wind played nice.
So, to wrap it up: this is a classic wait-it-out forecast. The first week is a total blank. Hang tight, and you’ll be rewarded with clean, fun surf on the 26th and 27th. After that, the long-range stuff on the 28th has promise in size and period, but the wind looks like it will ruin it. Keep your fingers crossed.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Sun afternoon. Warm (max 29°C on Sun afternoon, min 21°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WSW on Sun night, fresh winds from the N by Mon morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 24°C on Thu afternoon, min 21°C on Wed morning). Winds increasing (calm on Thu morning, fresh winds from the NE by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 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) | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | N 5 | NE 5 | NE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | E 7 | E 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 36 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 70 | 85 | 83 | 56 | 120 | 140 | 107 | 77 | 82 | 54 | 52 | 38 | 38 | 25 | 25 | 15 | 26 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 9:51AM1.29m | 10:02PM1.09m | 10:33AM1.25m | 10:43PM1.02m | 11:15AM1.20m | 11:24PM0.95m | 11:58AM1.14m | 00:08AM0.88m | 12:44PM1.08m | 00:56AM0.83m | 1:36PM1.03m | 1:51AM0.80m | 2:35PM1.00m | 2:57AM0.80m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:03PM0.08m | 4:09AM0.05m | 4:48PM0.15m | 4:49AM0.12m | 5:35PM0.22m | 5:31AM0.20m | 6:25PM0.28m | 6:18AM0.27m | 7:18PM0.33m | 7:10AM0.32m | 8:15PM0.36m | 8:07AM0.35m | 9:12PM0.36m | ||||||||
 | |  | |  |  | | | | | | | | | |  | |  |  | |  | |
 | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — |
 | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:12 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — |
mm | 2 | 6 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 25 | 29 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 |
Feels °C | 27 | 31 | 31 | 26 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 21 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | E 7 |
| kJ | 36 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 120 | 140 | 107 | 77 | 82 | 54 | 52 | 38 | 38 | 25 | 25 | 9 | 26 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | SSE 4 | — | SSE 6 | E 15 | E 15 | E 15 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 7 | E 7 | E 11 |
| kJ | 4 | 2 | 3 | — | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 9 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 4 | — | — | — | — | E 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | E 12 | E 12 | — |
| kJ | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 11 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 3 | S 3 | — | N 4 | N 5 | NE 5 | NE 6 | ENE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 3 | SSW 4 |
| kJ | 3 | 5 | — | 35 | 70 | 85 | 83 | 56 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 42 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 79 | 242 | 811 | 808 | 481 | 481 | 210 | 242 | 1132 | 210 | 210 | 374 | 0 | 811 | 1146 | 800 | 1138 | 1142 | 242 |
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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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