Croatan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks.

Well, I gotta be straight with you – this ain’t gonna be a run of epic waves. We’re looking at a long stretch of pretty ordinary conditions, with the first real chance of a surfable wave coming on Wednesday, September 2nd, and even then it’s nothing to write home about.

Croatan (beach/jetty) is our only spot on the menu. The water temp is sitting at 79°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick wetsuit.

Let’s start with Tuesday, September 1st. The morning is clear with a light cross-offshore breeze, but the swell is tiny at 1 ft from the SE with a weak period of 7 seconds. The combined energy is a measly 19, so it’s just not doing anything. The afternoon gets worse with a cross-onshore wind choppin’ it up. Not a day to bother.

Wednesday, September 2nd morning is your best bet in the whole outlook. It’s clean with a light offshore wind from the W, and we’ve got a tiny 2 ft swell from the ESE with an 11-second period. That longer period gives it a bit of shape, but at this size, it’s still only for the beginner crew or the longboarders. The combined energy is only 68, so it’s weak. The afternoon turns onshore and messy, so get it while you can.

Thursday, September 3rd morning has a gentle offshore wind again, but the swell drops to 2 ft and the period shortens to 9 seconds. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. The afternoon is onshore and no good.

From Friday, September 4th all the way through to Tuesday, September 15th, it’s a real dry spell. The swell is tiny, the wind is mostly onshore or cross-shore, and the forecasts are all showing “poor surf conditions.” We’re talking about a gap of nearly two weeks with nothing worth paddling out for. The combined energy values are mostly in the teens, with a few days in the 20s and 30s – that’s basically flat.

The only slight blip is on Wednesday, September 9th, when the swell bumps up to 4 ft from the NE, but the period is a short 6 seconds and the wind is a cross-onshore breeze at 16 mph. The combined energy hits 116, which is moderate, but the onshore wind makes it choppy and messy. Not a standout.

Later on, Wednesday, September 16th afternoon shows a 4 ft swell from the S, but again, period is short at 5 seconds and the wind is cross-onshore. It’s still a “poor surf conditions” call.

So, the standout – if you can call it that – is the morning of Wednesday, September 2nd. It’s the only time we get a clean offshore wind and a longer period, even if the size is tiny. For the rest of it, you’re better off checkin’ the forecast again in a week. This kind of flat run is normal for this area, so don’t stress too much. Forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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