Hatteras Light House Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. We've got a whole lot of small, weak, and junky surf on the menu, and I'm not going to sugarcoat it.

We're looking at a serious drought to start. From now through to the morning of the 23rd of August, there is basically nothing worth getting wet for. We're talking a daily grind of ankle-biters in the 1ft to 1.5ft range with short, weak periods. The winds are a mixed bag too, with a lot of cross-off breezes that will keep things looking clean, but there's just no power behind any of it. The energy readings are mostly pathetic, bouncing around double digits, with a few weak readings in the hundred range later on, but it's all for nothing with waves that small. It’s a long stretch of flatness, over a week with no real options.

The morning of the 23rd will get a bit of a reprieve, just a blip on the radar. It's the only time in the whole window we get a "surfable" rating, but honestly, it's still pretty ordinary. Hatteras Light House is the only game in town, and we're looking at a clean but tiny 1.3ft wave with a period of 9 seconds from the SE. The combined energy will be weak, and while the light breeze might keep the surface clean, you'll be doing more floating than surfing. This is not a standout, just a tease to remind you the ocean is still there.

For the rest of the window, up to the 28th, it’s back to the same old story. Poor conditions with tiny waves. We do see a bit of a bump in size around the 27th with the swell predicted to be 3.3ft to 4.6ft, but it's coming from the S with a short, weak 6-second period. This is just messy, short-period wind swell, and the energy readings, while moderate, are all over the place. The winds also get fresh and strong from the SW, making for a bumpy, uninviting lineup. Then, to close it out on the 28th, the wind swings around to a cross-on from the NNE with a fresh breeze, making everything lumpy. This isn't surf for a board; it's more like a washing machine out there. You'd honestly have more fun on a kite if the wind was right. This stretch is really only for the most die-hard, and even they might be better off doing something else.

There's a possible long-range glimmer around the 18th, where we see a bump in period to 13 seconds, but the swell is still a tiny 1.3ft. Then again on the 24th with a similar situation. These are promising signs of future groundswell, but they don't translate to anything we can surf right now. We just have to be patient.

This is a classic blank run for the area, and with breaks as consistent as Hatteras Light House, it usually doesn't stay this poor for long. Forecasts can and do change, so keep an eye out, but for now, leave the boards in the van.

Alright, that’s all from me. Stay patient.

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