Surf Forecasts:
Hatteras Light House surf forecast from 21 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 23 Jul, 2PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 7s period, S swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 22 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 7s period, S swell with 329 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 23 Jul, 2PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 7s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Hatteras Light House this week:
The surf forecast for Hatteras Light House over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 23) at 2PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Hatteras Light House in the next 16 days are 1.8m 7s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 7s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2PM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 2PM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Hatteras Light House over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get into it.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough stretch for surf at Hatteras Light House. The 16-day window is full of small, weak swell and messy winds, so there’s nothing here that’s worth getting excited about. The first recommendation I see is for Sunday afternoon, July 26th, and even that’s a real struggle. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing wild.
On Sunday the 26th, we get a tiny 2 ft swell from the southeast, with a short 8-second period. The combined energy is a weak 45 – that’s barely a ripple. The wind goes glassy in the afternoon, so the surface will be clean, but with that little bit of energy, you’re looking at soft, knee-high dribblers. A beginner might get a few grovelly rides, but for anyone else, it’s a paddle.
Then we have a long gap. The next time there’s any real size is Tuesday, July 29th. The morning sees a 7 ft swell from the south, with a short 8-second period. The combined energy jumps to 521 – that’s strong energy. But the wind is howling out of the SSW at 25 mph, a cross-offshore breeze. That much swell with that much wind makes it messy and lumpy, and the period is short, so the waves will be crumbly and hard to read. That’s expert territory only. The afternoon is similar: 6 ft from the south, 500 energy, but a strong cross-shore wind makes it even lumpier. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
The rest of the window is a bust. Small swell, onshore winds, and storms. The whole run is a write-off for quality surf. This is a spot where that kind of blank run is pretty normal when the summer pattern sets in.
Keep your eyes on the forecasts though – it tends not to stay poor for long.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 54mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Mon night, min 23°C on Thu afternoon). Winds decreasing (near gales from the SW on Tue night, light winds from the WNW by Thu afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 58mm), heaviest during Thu night. Warm (max 27°C on Fri night, min 23°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | ||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 6 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 6 | 11 | 23 | 278 | 286 | 274 | 24 | 11 | 61 | 31 | 41 | 50 | 55 | 54 | 67 | 49 | 30 | 29 | 28 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross | glassy | glassy |
High Tide | 1:15AM0.82m | 2:06PM0.95m | 2:09AM0.73m | 3:03PM0.95m | 3:06AM0.68m | 3:59PM0.96m | 4:05AM0.65m | 4:52PM0.98m | 5:00AM0.65m | 5:41PM1.01m | 5:50AM0.66m | 6:26PM1.04m | |||||||
Low Tide | 7:28AM0.05m | 8:27PM0.21m | 8:16AM0.09m | 9:33PM0.24m | 9:06AM0.12m | 10:36PM0.24m | 9:58AM0.13m | 11:31PM0.23m | 10:49AM0.13m | 00:19AM0.20m | 11:38AM0.11m | 1:02AM0.17m | |||||||
 | | |  | |  |  | | |  |  | | | | |  |  | |  | |
 | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — |
 | 8:14 | — | 8:13 | — | — | 8:13 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:10 | — | — | 8:09 | — |
mm | 6 | 7 | 1 | — | 4 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 |
Feels °C | 28 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 6 | SE 8 | S 5 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 6 | S 6 | S 5 |
| kJ | 6 | 11 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 49 | 24 | 11 | 61 | 31 | 23 | 50 | 55 | 54 | 67 | 49 | 23 | 15 | 14 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 4 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | — | — | — | SE 8 | NE 7 | SE 8 | SSW 5 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 5 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 |
| kJ | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | 15 | 7 | 41 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 30 | 29 | 28 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | E 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | SW 5 | SW 5 | SW 5 | — | NE 5 | NE 5 | — |
| kJ | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 31 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 5 | — | 1 | 1 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 5 | SSW 5 | SSW 6 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | S 6 | NNW 3 | S 6 | W 3 | WNW 3 | — | — | — | SSW 5 | WNW 3 | — | SW 6 |
| kJ | 57 | 66 | 126 | 278 | 286 | 274 | 226 | 188 | 1 | 23 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | 44 | 2 | — | 32 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 776 | 1040 | 1040 | 704 | 177 | 86 | 176 | 43 | 115 | 0 | 205 | 157 | 100 | 12 | 84 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Carolina | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Hatteras Light House Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Hatteras Light House provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Hatteras Light House can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Hatteras Light House 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 (Hatteras Light House) 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 Hatteras Light House 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.
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