Croatan Surf Break

Lat Long: 36.79° N 75.96° W

Croatan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 pm 18 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Croatan sea temperature is
26.7° C
1.1° 

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


Croatan surf forecast from 19 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 10s period, ESE swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 21 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 5s period, NE swell with 115 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 2AM (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 Wednesday (Aug 19) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 10s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Croatan in the next 16 days are 1.4m 5s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) 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 0.3m 2s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 8AM.

Wave TypeTime (EDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 2AM (Wed 19th Aug)1.5ft (0.4m) 10s
Best Surf 2AM (Wed 19th Aug)1.5ft (0.4m) 10s
Most Powerful11AM (Fri 21st Aug)4.5ft (1.4m) 5s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, let’s get into it.

Honestly, it’s a pretty flat and messy stretch ahead for our stretch of coast. There are no real standouts on the cards, no days where you’d be mad to miss it. We’ve got a long gap of small, jumbled-up surf to start, and it doesn’t look like we see anything worthwhile for a while.

The water’s running a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, about 1° above the norm, sitting at 80°.

Looking at the first few days, it's all small and onshore. Tuesday afternoon, the 18th, has a hint of swell at 2ft from the southeast, but the east-northeast cross-onshore wind will chop it up. It’s a no-go. The 19th and 20th are even smaller, with nothing over 1ft. There is a glimmer on Thursday the 20th afternoon when the wind swings to the northwest as a cross-offshore and the surf is clean, but there’s just no energy to work with—only 1ft and a combined energy of 26. It’s a lake out there.

Friday the 21st is where the swell finally shows a pulse. We’re looking at 5ft in the morning, building a bit through the day, from the northeast. The period is a weak 5-6 seconds, so it’s messy. That’s a combined energy of 134, which is moderate, but with the east-northeast and then easterly onshore winds, it’ll be lumpy and uninviting. This isn't the one.

The weekend is another letdown. Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd drop back down to 1ft or less. There’s a brief window Saturday afternoon with glassy conditions and the surf is clean, but with 1ft on tap, it’s barely a ripple. Maybe a chance for a longboard if you’re desperate, but it’s not worth the paddle.

Monday the 24th is the same story, tiny and clean in the morning, but we scrape a 1/10 score for "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." That’s about the best we’ll get for a while.

The whole week that follows is a bust. Small, onshore, and unremarkable. We see a bump on Thursday the 27th with some 4ft windswell from the south-southeast, but the cross-onshore wind will turn it into a mess. Friday the 28th is similar with 4ft, but again, it’s choppy. The combined energy is up around 150, but with that terrible period and poor wind, Croatan will be a washing machine.

We finally get another crack on Saturday the 29th morning. The swell drops to 2ft from the southeast, but the wind swings to a light southwest cross-offshore, leaving it clean. Still, with only 63 combined energy, it’s marginal at best.

Things look bleak right through the 30th and 31st, with nothing over 2ft and all of it cross-onshore. The first of September doesn’t offer any salvation, and by the 2nd, we have 15 mph easterly winds and 3ft of slop. It’s a closed-out, blown-out mess.

So, there you have it. A long stretch of days with no real surf. Croatan is a beach and jetty set-up, and with these onshore winds and tiny swells, the conditions look more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. The lack of any consistent, clean swell is a real bummer for the area. Forecasts can change, but as it stands, you’d be better off finding something else to do for the next couple of weeks.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 27mm), heaviest during Thu night. Warm (max 33°C on Thu afternoon, min 23°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 38mm), heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 29°C on Sat afternoon, min 21°C on Sun afternoon). Wind will be generally light.

Tue
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
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)
0.5
SE
11
0.4
ESE
10
0.4
SE
9
0.4
ESE
9
0.4
SE
9
0.3
ESE
8
0.7
SE
4
0.8
SSE
4
1.4
NE
5
1.3
NE
6
0.8
ENE
5
0.5
ENE
5
0.2
E
13
0.2
E
13
0.3
ESE
8
0.2
E
12
0.2
E
12
0.3
ESE
12
0.3
ESE
12
0.3
ESE
11
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
59
40
22
31
19
13
13
27
115
101
32
14
14
13
12
11
11
27
26
23
Wind (km/h)
5
ENE
5
E
5
NNE
15
ESE
15
S
10
S
20
NNW
5
WNW
15
ENE
15
E
10
E
15
SSW
5
WNW
10
SSW
15
SW
10
SSE
10
SSW
10
WNW
10
ESE
10
E
Wind State
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-off
off
cross-on
on
on
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
on
High Tide
00:42AM0.87m
1:26PM1.07m
1:30AM0.81m
2:19PM1.03m
2:26AM0.76m
3:19PM1.01m
3:33AM0.75m
4:22PM1.01m
4:43AM0.77m
5:19PM1.04m
5:41AM0.82m
6:08PM1.08m
Low Tide
7:04PM0.23m
7:00AM0.18m
8:00PM0.28m
7:49AM0.23m
8:57PM0.31m
8:42AM0.27m
9:54PM0.32m
9:38AM0.28m
10:51PM0.31m
10:36AM0.27m
11:43PM0.27m
11:32AM0.24m
00:29AM0.22m
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
mod rain
thunderstorm
part cloud
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
cloud
light rain
mod rain
clear
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:22
6:24
6:24
6:26
6:26
6:26
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:51
7:50
7:49
7:47
7:45
7:45
7:44
 mm
1
1
10
15
14
5
6
4
3
6
Temp °C
29
28
28
29
27
30
33
24
25
25
24
26
29
27
24
22
22
23
27
25
Feels °C
31
32
31
30
29
33
35
25
26
26
25
28
32
31
26
24
24
24
28
26
  • Map Icons:
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  • 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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