Hatteras Light House Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next couple of weeks for Hatteras. The honest truth is, for the first week and a bit, it’s pretty flat and grim. The swell is tiny, the wind is mostly messy, and there’s not much to get excited about. We’ve got a long stretch of poor surf conditions from the start through to the end of August, with only a few brief moments of "surfable but very ordinary" waves. You’ll be waiting a while.

The first real sign of life doesn’t show up until Thursday afternoon, the 28th of August. That morning, we get a small window of offshore wind from the west at 12 mph, with some 3ft S swell. The energy is weak, only 73 (combined energy), but it’s clean. That afternoon looks even better – light west wind, 6 mph, offshore, and 2ft S swell. It’s still small, but if you’re itching for a paddle, that’s your best bet in the first week.

Then, we hit a big gap. From the 29th of August right through to the 1st of September, it’s just more small, messy, onshore junk. The 1st of September brings a glassy morning with no wind and 2ft SE swell, but it’s just a tiny taste.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The standout window is the 2nd of September. Wednesday morning, the swell jumps up to 5ft from the ENE, with a moderate cross-offshore breeze from the southwest. The energy is moderate at 253. That afternoon, it gets even bigger – 7ft E swell, with a fresh southwest breeze at 22 mph, still cross-off. The combined energy shoots up to 522, which is strong. This is real, solid, punchy swell. The direction is east, which is a good match for the optimum east swell that Hatteras Light House likes. This is the best on offer, but it’s a long way out – over a week away – so keep an eye on it, it’s promising but not set in stone.

The 3rd of September looks bigger again, but the wind turns cross-shore and nasty, with a cross-chop. That’s a no-go. The 4th is similar, with a cross-shore breeze and poor conditions.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. The 28th of August gives you a tiny, clean surf. The real prize is the 2nd of September, with that 7ft E swell and clean winds. That’s the one to circle on the calendar.

Rusty.

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