Fort Fisher Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.90° N 77.95° W

Fort Fisher Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 18 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Fort Fisher sea temperature is
28.5° C
0.3° 

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


Fort Fisher surf forecast from 18 Jul 2026:

  • Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 5s period, ENE swell with 108 kJ wave energy.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Fort Fisher this week:

The most powerful waves expected at Fort Fisher in the next 16 days are 1.5m 5s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) 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 1.7m 7s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 5AM.

Wave TypeTime (EDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)--
Best Surf--
Most Powerful11AM (Fri 24th Jul)5ft (1.5m) 5s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

Look, I’ll be straight with you – this stretch isn’t shaping up to be a classic. We’re in for a long, dry spell with barely a ripple to get excited about for the next 16 days. The pattern is flat, and you’ll be waiting a good while before anything even looks like it might be worth a paddle.

Right now, there’s nothing on offer. The first real chance at anything doesn’t pop up until the morning of the 24th, and even then, it’s tough. That week between now and then is a write-off – tiny little knee-high slop, mostly from the SE, with cross-offshore winds that might keep the surface clean, but there’s no energy behind it. The combined energy is very weak (single digits and low teens), so don’t bother.

Alright, let’s talk about the only real pulse of energy we see. It shows up on the morning of Friday the 24th of July. The swell bumps up to about 5 ft – that’s a legit size, but it’s coming from the ENE with a short, choppy period of just 5 seconds. That’s windswell, not groundswell, so it’ll be messy. The combined energy hits 181 (moderate), but the wind is cross-onshore from the NE at 16 mph, making it choppy and lumpy. That’s a tough look for a clean wave. Fort Fisher (North Carolina) is a beach and reef setup, so this short-period stuff won't hold shape well. For beginners, 5 ft is pushing it; for everyone else, the wind is the enemy here. Honestly, it looks more like a kite session than a paddle-surf day.

Things settle down a bit, but it’s not really a comeback. The morning of Tuesday the 28th of July has another pulse – 4 ft from the E, again short period (5-6 seconds), with cross-onshore wind from the NE at 19 mph. Combined energy is 121 (moderate), but the wind is fresh and lumpy, making it another choppy, frustrating day. The water temp is sitting at a warm 83°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so at least there’s no chilly shock.

The rest of the forecast is a repeat of the same story: small, short-period, onshore or cross-onshore wind. You’ll see a few cleaner moments early on the morning of the 30th of July – light winds from the NNE, but the swell is tiny (2 ft) and weak. It’s a bottom-scratcher at best.

The standout – if you can call it that – is the morning of the 24th of July. It’s the only day with a height over 4 ft, and the energy is the highest we see. But it’s a washout for quality. The wind is wrong, the period is short, and it’s choppy. It’s a hard pass unless you’re desperate.

After that, things just dribble away. The last week of July and into August is flat, weak, and mostly cross-shore. There’s a tiny window on the morning of the 1st of August with a light NW breeze and clean conditions, but the swell is a pathetic 0.7 ft. You’d be bobbing on a lake.

So, bottom line: this is a 16-day blank for any decent surf. The only real pulse is a messy, short-period windswell on the 24th of July, and even that’s a struggle. For the area, a quiet run like this isn’t unheard of, but it’s a tough one to swallow. Forecasts can change, but right now, I’d leave the boards in the car.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Warm (max 30°C on Sun morning, min 28°C on Sat morning). Mainly fresh winds.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 31mm), heaviest during Wed night. Warm (max 30°C on Tue afternoon, min 23°C on Thu afternoon). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Wed afternoon, light winds from the NNW by Thu afternoon).

Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
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
1.4
SSW
6
0.1
E
13
0.2
ESE
8
0.1
SE
8
0.1
SE
8
0.1
E
12
0.2
ESE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.2
ESE
8
1.6
S
6
0.2
ESE
9
0.4
SE
9
0.4
SE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.4
SE
8
1.1
NE
5
1.5
ENE
5
0.6
SE
8
0.7
ESE
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
6
6
0
3
6
2
2
3
6
16
7
0
8
20
23
15
21
54
108
51
58
Wind (km/h)
20
SW
25
SSW
30
SW
25
SW
35
SW
30
SW
20
WSW
25
SW
30
SW
25
SW
30
SSW
35
SSW
35
SW
40
SSW
30
SSW
15
WSW
20
NNE
25
NE
25
NE
20
E
15
ENE
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
High Tide
11:44AM1.45m
00:01AM1.48m
12:37PM1.48m
00:48AM1.43m
1:27PM1.50m
1:36AM1.38m
2:16PM1.52m
2:23AM1.34m
3:04PM1.53m
3:12AM1.31m
3:54PM1.54m
4:02AM1.29m
4:44PM1.55m
4:54AM1.28m
Low Tide
5:22PM0.02m
5:52AM-0.06m
6:15PM0.11m
6:38AM-0.01m
7:10PM0.17m
7:24AM0.04m
8:06PM0.22m
8:12AM0.07m
9:02PM0.23m
9:01AM0.09m
9:56PM0.22m
9:50AM0.10m
10:47PM0.20m
clear
clear
clear
thunderstorm
part cloud
thunderstorm
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
clear
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
clear
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
light rain
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:13
6:13
6:13
6:15
6:16
6:16
6:16
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:22
8:21
8:21
8:20
8:19
8:19
8:17
 mm
2
4
2
1
5
1
14
3
4
3
Temp °C
29
29
28
30
30
29
29
30
28
29
30
29
29
29
29
28
27
24
25
27
27
Feels °C
30
29
29
30
29
28
30
30
28
29
30
28
29
27
28
31
31
23
23
26
27
  • 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 Fort Fisher Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Fort Fisher provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Fort Fisher can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Fort Fisher 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 (Fort Fisher) 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 Fort Fisher 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.

Are you planning a vacation in North Carolina? If you are looking for accommodation near Fort Fisher, camping, hotels and condos and appartments in North Carolina, consider staying in Wilmington which is 41 km (25 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in Myrtle Beach which is 90 km (56 miles) away

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