Masonboro Inlet Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Yeah, look, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty desperate for a wave around here. We’ve got a long, flat spell ahead before anything even thinks about showing up. You’re gonna want to find something else to do with your time, because the ocean’s just gonna be sitting there, doing nothing. The first real hope on the horizon doesn’t even arrive until Saturday the 22nd, and even then, it’s barely a whisper.

Until then, it's a wasteland. We’re talking days of small, junky, wind-chopped dribble. The swell energy is basically non-existent, with combined energy values in the weak range, mostly under 40. The period is stuck in that short, weak zone around 8 seconds, which is just mush, not real surf. The winds are mostly cross or cross-on, chopping up whatever tiny ripple is out there. Tuesday the 18th does show a bit of a pulse with a 12-second period, but it’s still only 2ft and the energy is still weak at 91, and the wind is all over it. It’s just not going to be worth the paddle.

Now, there is a brief flash of hope on the morning of Saturday the 22nd. The wind goes glassy, and we see a tiny 3ft SSW swell with a short 6-second period. The energy is still weak at 70, and the comment says it’s "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." This is at Masonboro Inlet (a beach/jetty setup). For a moment there, it could be clean, but the swell is tiny and short-period, and the break is inconsistent. It’s a cruel tease for anyone desperate to get wet. The window is small, and by the afternoon the wind swings onshore and it’s over.

After that, it goes flat again. We’re looking at another stretch of nothing from Sunday the 23rd right through to Thursday the 27th. The energy stays weak, the swells stay small, and the wind is generally rubbish.

The one true standout, potentially, is right at the end of the forecast window. On the morning of Friday the 28th, the wind finally turns offshore (NNE) and clean, and we get a modest 3ft SE swell with a decent 10-second period. The energy jumps to a moderate 152, and the conditions look clean. That’s the best call of the entire run.

But hold on, because the bigger story is the swell that’s building behind it. By Saturday the 29th, we’re looking at the strongest energy of the whole forecast. The combined energy surges to a strong 482 in the morning and 652 by the afternoon. The swell is picking up to 4ft to 5ft from the SE with a long 13-second period. That’s real groundswell energy. The problem is, the wind is cross-on/onshore and it’s going to be choppy as hell. This isn’t going to be a clean day; it’s going to be a battle. At 5ft, it’s edging towards too much for beginners, especially with that onshore wind messing it up. This one’s for the experienced crew who don’t mind a fight. It’s a promising sign for the days after this forecast window, though. Even with the chop, this is the most powerful surf we’ve seen in this entire run.

So, keep your board in the car for the morning of the 28th for the cleanest wave, but understand it’s small. If you want to just get out and feel some power, the 29th will have it, but you’ll be battling the wind. Water temp is 82°, which is about normal for this time of year. It’s been a long dry spell, but it looks like it might finally break.

Rusty

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