Jennette's Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, I’ve looked over the coming swell window for the Outer Banks, focusing on Jennette’s Pier. I’ll be straight with you—it’s a pretty flat, frustrating run for the next couple of weeks. There’s a long stretch of nothing worth getting wet for, so let’s break down the waiting game.

The immediate outlook is grim. From Saturday, August 29th right through the first week of September, we’re looking at tiny, weak waves. The swell energy is barely registering, with numbers like 53 and 42 (combined energy of all swells directed here) – that’s weak, hopeless energy. Winds are a mess, mostly cross or cross-onshore, and the water is sitting at 82°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but it’s not helping the surf. You’ll be staring at a lake-like surface for days.

We finally see a glimmer of hope on the morning of Wednesday, September 2nd. The forecast shows a small bump of 3ft swell from the ESE, with a period of 10 seconds, and a light offshore wind from the WSW. The combined energy climbs to 116 (moderate wave energy), and the conditions are described as clean. It’s surfable, but it’s ordinary. This is the best on offer in the entire 16-day window, and it’s a true standout for how bad everything else is. Don’t expect a classic session; it’s just a chance to get wet without a total fight.

The rest of the first week into the second week is a bust. Swell stays small, wind keeps shifting, and the energy stays in the weak to moderate range. There’s a brief spike in energy on the morning of Tuesday, September 8th, with a 3ft swell from the ENE and strong offshore winds, but the combined energy jumps to 326 (strong wave energy). The problem? The surf is still rated as poor. The wind is strong at 19 mph, making it more of a kite-surfing setup than a clean paddle session. The same goes for the morning of Wednesday, September 9th, with 3ft swell and 298 energy (strong wave energy), but again, the quality is poor and the wind is fresh.

The last glimmer comes on the morning of Sunday, September 13th. A 4ft swell from the NE with a period of 8 seconds and 207 energy (moderate wave energy) is on the cards, but the wind is a light cross-shore. It’s a marginal forecast, and the quality is still poor. It’s a long way off, so don’t pin your hopes on it.

Honestly, for the Outer Banks right now, it’s a waiting game. The only day that looks even remotely worth a look is the morning of September 2nd. The rest of the window is a write-off. Stay patient.

Rusty.

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