Hatteras Light House Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple weeks at Hatteras Light House. I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch. The first two weeks are looking like a real struggle with almost nothing on the menu.

Right from the get-go on Friday, September 4th, we’ve got a tiny 1ft SE swell, but it’s getting hammered by a stiff 19 mph offshore wind. It’s clean, but with combined wave energy sitting at a weak 28, there’s just no push. That sets the tone for the next several days. We’re looking at a solid 13-day gap where the surf is just poor. Saturday the 5th through Monday the 14th are all pretty much write-offs – small swells, a lot of onshore wind, and very low energy. There’s a point on Sunday the 6th where the swell bumps up to 3ft, but that’s a short-period windswell (5 seconds) with a 22 mph onshore breeze, making a complete mess of things.

We see a tiny spike in combined energy on Monday the 7th afternoon (182 – moderate), but it’s accompanied by a lumpy cross-onshore wind and a short period. Not worth paddling out for. The pattern stays flat and sloppy right through to the middle of the month.

Now, there is a glimmer of hope, but it’s a long way off. On Thursday, September 17th, the morning shows something rare: glassy conditions with no wind. The swell is a small 3ft from the ENE with a very short period (4 seconds), so the energy is still low (47), but it’s readable as “surfable waves” for the first time. It’s not great, but after this long dry spell, you might find a little close-out slope.

Then, on Friday, September 18th, things get a bit more interesting. We’ve got a clean 5ft swell from the E with a period of 7 seconds and combined energy hitting 259 (moderate). The wind is a clean offshore/cross-off from the WSW. This is the standout of the entire 16-day outlook – the biggest and most powerful swell of the period. However, the 5ft height is right on the edge for beginners, and the short period means it’ll be a bit crumbly. The water temp is sitting at a very unusual 84°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – almost feels like summer stuck around. But remember, this is well over a week away, so treat it as a promising but uncertain long-range target.

Saturday the 19th morning still looks okay with a 5ft swell and clean cross-off wind, but the energy is dropping, and by afternoon, the wind swings onshore and wrecks it.

Honestly, if you’re desperate for a paddle, the glassy morning on the 17th might be your best bet for a solo session. For real waves, the 18th is the only day that looks like it has proper push, even if it’s short-period and a bit junky. This is a classic Hatteras flat spell. It’ll come back around.

Stay patient,
Rusty.

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