Hatteras Light House Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the next 16 days are a tough watch for Hatteras Light House. We’ve got a whole lot of nothing happening for a long stretch, and then a few pulses of swell that the wind just won’t let us enjoy.

The first week is a write-off. From Monday the 13th right through to the end of Sunday the 19th, it’s a grim run of tiny, weak, or wind-chopped conditions. Monday the 13th has a 4ft ESE windswell but with a raw onshore breeze, it’s just a mess. We don’t see a single decent wave in that entire first week – the combined energy barely cracks triple digits, and even that’s mostly just bump.

The gap in quality surf stretches all the way from the start of the forecast until the morning of Wednesday the 22nd. That’s over a week of waiting. On Wednesday morning the 22nd, we finally get a sliver of hope. The swell bumps up to 5ft from the south, with a period of 7 seconds (moderate energy of 244). The wind is a light cross-shore, and the notes say it’s marginal. Honestly, it’s the best of a bad bunch, but it’s not a standout. The water temperature is sitting around 83°, which is about a degree and a half warmer than normal for this time of year – feels like a warm bath, but you’ll be bobbing around in almost nothing.

The real spike comes on Wednesday afternoon the 22nd. The swell jumps to 7ft from the south, with a combined energy of 437 (strong). But the wind is directly onshore from the east at 9 mph. This will be a bumpy, lumpy, blown-out mess. Perfect for a kite if you’ve got one, but for a paddle surfer? Tough to recommend.

Thursday the 23rd still has a solid 5ft south swell in the morning, but the wind is a choppy cross-onshore. By the afternoon, it drops to 5ft, but the wind swings cross-shore, so it’s a little cleaner but still not great.

After that, it’s back to the doldrums. From Friday the 24th all the way through to Tuesday the 28th, the swell collapses back to 1.0ft to 3ft. The wind is offshore or cross-offshore, with some glassy periods, but the waves are just too small. Even with clean conditions, 1.0ft won’t give you a ride.

The best window in the entire 16 days is the morning of Wednesday the 22nd. It’s not a classic, but it’s the only time we get any size with a light wind. Go for a paddle, but don’t expect the world. The rest of the time, save your wax.

Rusty.

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