Hatteras Light House Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you — this 16-day outlook for Hatteras Light House is a tough one. We’re looking at a long stretch of small, weak, and often messy conditions. The water temp is sitting at 82°F, which is about average for the time of year, so nothing wild there. The combined swell energy is low, mostly in the 20-40 range, only kicking up to moderate (169) on Wednesday the 19th afternoon, but even then the conditions are poor. You’re gonna have to wait a while for anything close to rideable, and even then, it’s not going to be pretty.

Saturday the 15th through to Wednesday the 19th is a write-off. Swell is tiny, wind is all over the place, and the wave comment is just “poor surf conditions.” The best you can say is it’s clean on Monday the 17th morning with a light offshore, but that swell is only 2ft and weak, so it’s really just a paddle.

Thursday the 20th morning finally shows a glimmer — a clean 2ft swell from the south with a light cross-offshore wind, but it’s still just “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” The combined energy is only 41, so you’re not getting much push. After that, it’s back to poor conditions through the 21st to the 25th.

The first real standout doesn’t come until Wednesday the 26th. The morning has a clean 3ft swell from the south with a gentle offshore wind, and the combined energy is 73. Then, the afternoon gets glassy — absolutely glassy — with a 1ft swell from the southeast, but here’s the kicker: the period is 14 seconds, which is a long-period groundswell. That’s good for shape, but at a beach break, it can break a bit too straight. Still, with glassy conditions, it’s your best chance for a clean, fun wave.

Thursday the 27th morning is another one to circle. Offshore wind, 2ft swell from the southeast with an 11-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 125. That’s moderate wave energy and the best we’ll see. Conditions are clean with moderate offshore wind. The afternoon is also glassy, with the same swell. That’s the pick of the whole period.

Friday the 28th is also glassy both morning and afternoon, but the swell drops to 2ft and the energy is weak again. Still, if you’re desperate for a clean session, it’s there.

The last few days, the 29th and 30th, go back to poor conditions. The 30th has a bit more size — 4ft to 4ft — but it’s cross-onshore and choppy, so it’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle one.

In short, the best surf on offer is Thursday the 27th morning at Hatteras Light House: 2ft from the southeast, 11-second period, moderate offshore wind, and a combined energy of 125. The glassy afternoon on the 26th is a close second, even if the swell is small. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, so be ready for company if you go for the good windows.

Rusty.

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