Hatteras Light House Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you—this next stretch at Hatteras Light House is gonna be a battle of patience. The overall pattern is small, weak, and mostly messy, with a few fleeting windows that might just give you something to ride.

We kick off Sunday afternoon, August 16, but it’s a write-off right from the start. Tiny 1ft swell from the SE, only 8 seconds apart, and a cross-onshore breeze making it choppy. The combined wave energy is a paltry 59—barely enough to get excited about. Don’t bother paddling out.

Monday the 17th is cleaner with a cross-offshore wind, but still only 1ft and short-period. Not worth the effort.

Tuesday morning, August 18, brings a glimmer. Swell bumps up to 2ft with a longer 12-second period from the SE, energy sitting at 85. The wind is cross-off and light, so it’ll be clean. But let’s be real—this is weak sauce, just “surfable but ordinary.” The Tuesday afternoon window is even more interesting: glassy conditions with a 2ft swell, 11-second period, and energy of 80. That’s your first real chance to get wet if you’re desperate for a slide. But no one’s calling this a standout.

The rest of that week and into the next is a desert. From Wednesday the 19th through Saturday the 22nd, it’s all 1ft to 2ft dribble with onshore or cross-shore winds. Crowds are possible here, but honestly, no one will be out for this.

Sunday the 23rd has another glassy morning with a 1.0ft, 12-second period swell—energy 60—but it’s barely a ripple. Clean, sure, but you’ll be scratching for a ride.

Then we hit a long, grim stretch from Monday the 24th all the way to Monday the 31st. Mostly 0.7ft to 1ft, weak periods, and stiff onshore winds that’ll have you wondering why you brought your board. The only thing worth noting is Thursday morning, August 27. Swell picks up to 2ft from the SE with an 11-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 151—moderate, finally. Wind is cross-off and light, so it’ll be clean. This is the best on offer, but for Hatteras Light House, that’s still a “meh.” It’s not even close to a standout. Beginner-friendly size, though.

Friday and Saturday, August 28 and 29, see a little more size—2ft to 3ft—but the wind is honking onshore at 15 to 22 mph, making it lumpy and choppy. If you’re a kite surfer, this setup might look fun, but for paddle surfing, it’s a hard pass.

Bottom line: there’s no proper swell window in this 16-day forecast. The best you’ll get is a lucky glassy morning on the 18th or a clean but modest bump on the 27th. Crowds are possible at this spot, but with conditions this poor, you’ll have the place to yourself. Keep your eyes on the charts—it tends not to stay this flat for long.

Rusty.

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