Kitty Hawk Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – the next week and a half is looking pretty grim. There’s a big ol’ dead patch on the charts for Kitty Hawk Pier. We’re looking at a whole lot of days where you’re better off doing anything other than paddling out. Patience is going to be your best friend.

The whole stretch from Tuesday the 8th through to Thursday the 18th of September is basically a write-off. The swell is tiny, the periods are short, and the wind is all over the shop. Sure, there are a few windows of clean conditions – Wednesday the 9th morning, for instance, looks glassy with a light offshore wind, but there’s no wave energy behind it. Seeing 2ft and 6 seconds of period with weak energy (43) doesn’t get anyone out of bed. It’s just not worth the paddle.

There is a bit of a pulse of energy that moves through on Saturday the 12th, with the swell bumping up to 3ft and the combined energy hitting 111, but the period is a dismal 5 seconds and the wind is straight onshore. That’s a chop-fest, pure and simple. That easterly swell is just a mess.

The water is a massive highlight, though. At 82°, it’s running a whopping 4° warmer than average for this time of year. That’s really, really warm water, so if you do get in, it’s going to be a pleasure – it just won’t be for the waves.

Now, let’s talk about the only real light at the end of the tunnel. It’s a long way off, but hopefully worth the wait.

Saturday, September 19th. That’s the day. The morning is the one true standout on the whole call. We finally get a proper pulse of NE swell, pushing 7ft. The period jumps to 7 seconds, and the combined energy rockets up to 435 – that’s a serious sign of life. The wind is offshore and light, from the WSW, which is exactly what we need to keep it clean. This is the biggest and best-conditioned swell of the whole forecast, and it’s going to be worth waiting for. It’s a week and a half away, so treat it as promising but not set in stone, but all the signs are good.

The afternoon on that same day is a different story, though. The wind swings onshore from the NE and picks up to 15 mph, which will chop that same swell to pieces. Get your waves early, because by midday it’s going to be messy.

After Saturday, things start to fade again. We see a couple of days of weak, onshore wind slop in the 3-5ft range, with the energy dropping back down to 100-250 range. Nothing there will be any good. Tuesday the 22nd morning has a small window of clean, cross-offshore wind, but the energy is mediocre and the swell direction is still not ideal. It’s a marginal call, at best.

So, here’s the bottom line. If you can wait, mark your calendar for the morning of the 19th. That’s the one to get excited about. The surf is coming, you just have to be patient for it.

Until then, keep the board in the car and the wax in the pocket.

Rusty.

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