Hatteras Light House Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s cut through the chatter and get real about the waves on offer at Hatteras Light House over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, looking at the whole sixteen-day window, it’s a pretty grim run. The first week is mostly a write-off with tiny, weak, and messy conditions, and I wouldn’t bother paddling out for most of it. There’s no standout session that’s truly firing, but if you’re desperate for a wet suit peel, there are a couple of mornings that might just scratch the itch.

The water’s sitting at a warm 82°F which is about 2°F warmer than normal for this time of year – you can definitely leave the thick rubber at home.

Starting off on Sunday, July 5th and right through the first few days, we’re looking at tiny, weak slop. Swell heights barely hit 1 ft and the energy is pathetic (18). Wind is mostly cross-off or cross, but with waves that small, it doesn’t matter. Monday the 6th sees a brief jump in swell to 3 ft but the period drops to a shocking 4 seconds – that’s wind chop, not surf. Combined energy is only 36, so don’t get excited.

Things look a little more hopeful around Wednesday, July 8th. The morning brings a light offshore breeze from the WNW and a little bump of 3 ft at 7 seconds from the South. The combined energy is 106 – still weak, but it’s surfable. It’s ordinary, but it’s the first real chance to get wet without hating life. That afternoon goes to crap though as the wind swings onshore.

Saturday, July 11th morning is another slim opportunity. Offshore wind from the WSW, with waist-high 3 ft swell and 123 combined energy. It’s not going to be epic, but at least the faces will be clean for a beginner session.

Then we hit a huge gap. From Sunday the 12th all the way through to the end of the outlook, nearly every day shows “poor surf conditions.” Winds are strong, swells are either tiny or short-period junk. Thursday July 17th afternoon throws up a 5 ft spike at 6 seconds (185 energy), but with a cross-onshore wind, it’ll be choppy and messy – more of a kite-surfing setup than a clean paddle session.

The strongest swell comes in on Saturday, July 19th morning with 6 ft from the South, and combined energy reaching 270. But again, it’s cross-off wind and short 7-second period. That’s a bit of grunt but it won’t be groomed. It’s more for the experienced crew only, as anything over 5 ft can be too much for beginners.

So to sum it up: there are no true standouts. The best bets are the Wednesday the 8th and Saturday the 11th mornings for a few clean, knee-to-waist high waves. Everything else is either flat, blown out, or just plain ugly. It’s a tough run for Hatteras, but that’s how it goes sometimes.

Stay hopeful, and I’ll see you in the lineup.

– Rusty

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