Nags Head Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. Honestly, looking at this stretch, it’s a bit of a slow burn for the Outer Banks. We’ve got a long flat spell ahead before anything really gets going, so you might want to sort out your tackle or fix that ding in your board. The water’s running about 82° and that’s pretty much spot on for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first week is pretty much a write-off. From the 15th through the 21st, it’s tiny, weak, and junky. Most days we’re looking at knee-high mush with onshore or cross-shore winds chopping it up. You might see a morning with clean conditions on the 17th, or a glassy session on the morning of the 20th, but there’s just no energy behind it. The combined swell energy is sitting down in the 20s and 30s, which is weak stuff. You’d be fighting for a dribble.

The 22nd looks like the first real gasp of life. It’s still not great—only about 2ft—but the WSW wind is cross-off and clean. That could be worth a paddle if you’re desperate, but I wouldn’t call it good. Just surfable.

Then we hit a proper dead zone. From the 23rd to the 25th, it drops right back off. We’re talking under 1ft of swell. The 25th morning has a decent offshore wind, but there’s just nothing to push. That’s a solid few days of staring at an empty ocean.

Now, for the second week, things start to stir. Around the 26th and 27th, the energy starts climbing. We’re seeing the combined swell energy jump into the 100s and 200s, which is moderate to strong, but the wind is messy—on and cross-on from the ENE. That’s going to make it pretty lumpy. This swell is from the ESE, but the wind is going to be working against us on the clean face for most of it.

The real standout, the one to keep an eye on, is the morning of the 29th. That’s two weeks away, so take it with a grain of salt, but the forecast is showing 4-5ft of easterly swell with the wind going glassy and the energy up at 234. That’s a solid jump. Nags Head Pier (Outer Banks) is an exposed beach/jetty spot, and that ESE direction isn’t its absolute optimum (which is NE), but with those conditions, it’s going to be clean and have some push. For intermediates, that’s a fun size. For beginners, it’s getting on the bigger side of comfortable.

Before that, the 28th has the same size but with onshore winds and a short period, so it’s going to be a bit of a mess. The 30th drops back down a bit, and the clean mornings are there but the size is weaker.

So, if you’re planning your week, the morning of the 29th is the one that’s circled. It’s still a while away, so don’t book your flights yet, but it’s promising. The rest of that week is more of a “check the forecast and be flexible” kind of deal.

Alright, that’s the long and short of it. There’s a lot of flat water to get through, but that last Saturday morning could make it all worthwhile.

Stay salty.

Rusty

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