Masonboro Inlet Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s be real with you. I’ve been staring at the charts for Masonboro Inlet and, honestly, it’s a tough stretch. We’ve got a 16-day window ahead, but the first week and a half is pretty much a write-off.

Right now, conditions are poor. We’re looking at tiny, weak swell, mostly onshore wind, and the combined energy is barely registering, sitting at around 32 (weak energy). The water temp is a warm 82° with an anomaly of -0.9°, so it’s pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year.

We’ve got a real gap here. From Monday, the 17th, all the way through to the end of the following week, there’s nothing worth paddling out for. The swell is tiny, the wind is mostly cross-on or cross-shore, and the wave comment is consistently “poor surf conditions.” The only break here is Masonboro Inlet, which is a beach/jetty setup and can be inconsistent. It’s rated for advanced surfers, but even they won’t find anything to work with.

The first glimmer of hope comes on Tuesday, the 25th of August. The morning shows a small 3ft SSW swell with a short period of 5 seconds, but the wind is clean cross-off from the WNW at 9 mph. The combined energy is still low at 77 (weak), but the wave comment shifts to “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” The afternoon picks up a little, with 4ft SSW swell and light cross-off wind, and the energy bumps up to 107 (moderate). It’s not amazing, but it’s the first thing that’s not a total dud.

There’s another potential window on Wednesday, the 26th of August. The afternoon brings a 2ft SE groundswell with a very long period of 14 seconds and light offshore wind from the west. The combined energy jumps to 122 (moderate). That long period will give the waves some shape, but for a beach/jetty like Masonboro Inlet, a long period groundswell can break a bit too straight, so it’s not the ideal setup. Still, it’s clean.

Looking further out, the end of the month and into September has a lot of onshore wind and messy conditions. The combined energy does get higher, like on the 28th of August when it hits 323 (strong), but that’s paired with a 3ft swell from the ESE and a cross-on wind. It’s just not clean.

Honestly, the standout in this whole forecast is the Tuesday the 25th. It’s the best we’re going to get. The afternoon session with that 4ft SSW swell and light offshore wind is your best bet. It’s not going to be epic, but it’s the only window with clean, rideable waves. Keep your expectations in check, and you might snag a few fun ones.

Rusty.

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