Kitty Hawk Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, this is Rusty comin' to you from the Outer Banks. We're lookin' at a real slow start here at Kitty Hawk Pier, so don't be in a rush to grab your board just yet. The water is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sittin' at 82°.

First half of this week? It's a total write-off. We're talkin' Monday the 24th right through to Sunday the 30th of August, and it's just a flat, messy grind. Tiny little waves pushed around by onshore and cross-shore breezes, barely a ripple to get excited about. The combined swell energy is laughable, just a measly 30 to 90 (units). Honestly, it's not worth paddling out for the first week unless you just wanna float around.

Now, we finally get a little pulse of life on Monday the 31st of August. The morning looks interesting with a clean, offshore wind from the West at 12 mph and a weak, long period groundswell creeping in from the East. The swell is still tiny, only 1 ft, but that 19-second period is a solid sign of energy, and the combined energy jumps to 137. It's surfable, but you'll be fighting for a knee-high dribble that holds up for a second. The afternoon gets wrecked by a cross-onshore wind, so that window is tight.

But hold onto your hats, because the real standout is the morning of Wednesday, the 2nd of September. This is the morning you want to be in the water. We've got a clean 4 ft swell from the East, with a 14-second period and a nice offshore wind from the West at 9 mph. The combined energy is a solid 517, and the report says "expect very good surf conditions." The pier will be working, and with the offshore wind, it'll be clean. Just be aware that at this size, it's still friendly for a good intermediate, but the crowds are a possibility here, so get out early.

Another good call is the morning of Friday, the 4th of September. Another clean morning with a 4 ft East swell and a 14-second period, with a solid offshore wind from the West at 12 mph. The energy is pumping at 654. This is a solid, fun size for the pier, and the conditions will be clean. The afternoon of the 4th will also be okay, with the wind backing off a little.

After that, the swell drops off again, and the wind turns messy, so the second week fades out into a bit of a nothing burger. The long-period groundswell on the 31st of August and the 1st of September might be too straight for the beach break, but the pier often handles it okay.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a total dud. The real action is the morning of Wednesday the 2nd and the morning of Friday the 4th. Those are your two standouts. Get out there and score.

Rusty.

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