Nags Head Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the Outer Banks over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, I’m looking at a pretty bleak picture for the next 16 days. The swell is tiny and the wind is all over the place. We’re looking at a long stretch of mostly flat, bumpy, and unrideable conditions. There’s a big gap here with basically nothing worth paddling out for from the start until the very end of the forecast.

The first real whisper of anything half-decent doesn’t show up until Tuesday the 4th of August in the afternoon. Nags Head Pier (beach/jetty) might just offer a tiny, weak 2ft wave from the south with a short period of 6 seconds. The combined swell energy is only 47, so it’s weak. The big plus here is the wind goes glassy – that’s a major positive for a spot that’s usually a bit of a mess. It’ll be clean, but the waves are going to be super small and gutless. It’s the best on offer, which tells you everything about the rest of the week.

Then we get another dry spell until Saturday the 8th of August. The early morning glass again at Nags Head Pier with a 2ft ESE swell, period of 8 seconds, and a combined energy of 46. Still tiny, and the wind is glassy, so it’ll be clean again. But for a beach break, that’s about all you can ask for in this run.

After that, it’s back to the doldrums. The wind picks up onshore, and the swell stays tiny. There’s a couple of mornings with a gentle offshore breeze on the 11th and 12th of August, but the swell is only 0.7ft to 2ft, so it’s flat. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no drama there.

The only real spike in energy comes very late in the game. On Saturday the 15th of August, the afternoon shows a 4ft pulse from the north, but with a terrible period of 5 seconds and a stiff onshore wind. The combined energy hits 112 (moderate), but it’s going to be a messy, blown-out windswell. Not for a paddle board. The following Sunday morning, the 16th of August, the swell is 4ft from the NE with a period of 8 seconds and a combined energy of 163. Still a bit of energy, but the wind is cross-onshore, so it’s gonna be choppy. For a beach break, that’s a tough look.

So, to be straight with you, the standout is Tuesday the 4th of August afternoon and Saturday the 8th of August morning for the glassy conditions, but the waves are so small it’s barely worth the paddle. Everything else is a write-off. If you’re a kiter, the 15th and 16th might have some wind, but for a surfer, it’s a long wait.

Stay patient, and check back in with me.

Rusty.

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