Nags Head Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next couple of weeks for Nags Head Pier. Let me tell you, it’s a long stretch of almost nothing before we get a little glimmer of hope.

Right now, we’re in a flat spell. The first real chance of anything rideable doesn’t show up until the morning of Saturday, August 15th. That’s a solid week of waiting. The water temperature is sitting right around 80°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so at least it’ll be warm when you’re sitting out there doing nothing.

We’ve got a few days of tiny, weak swell with poor wind conditions. The wind is mostly cross or cross-off, but the swell is just too small, often under 2 ft, and the period is short, around 7 to 8 seconds. The combined energy is weak, barely hitting 35 to 50. It’s just not worth paddling out for.

The first wave that’s even worth mentioning is on Saturday morning, August 15th. The swell is still tiny, only 2 ft from the SE, but the wind goes glassy. That’s the only positive. The energy is still weak at 43, and it’s just a small, clean wave. It’s something to get wet on, but don’t expect much.

The best of the whole forecast, and it’s a bit of a stretch to call it a standout, comes on Monday, August 17th, and Tuesday, August 18th. On Monday morning, the swell picks up to 4 ft from the ENE, with a moderate offshore wind. The energy jumps to 137, which is moderate. That’s a step up. Monday afternoon gets a little better at 4 ft and 168 energy. The wind stays gentle offshore.

But the real peak is Tuesday morning, August 18th. The swell is 4 ft from the E, with a light cross-off breeze and period of 7 seconds. The combined energy hits 229, which is a solid moderate boost. The waves will be clean and have some push. This is the best window we’ve got. It’s still not huge, but for the first time in two weeks, it’s actually surfable with some decent conditions. The crowd situation at Nags Head Pier can be “sometimes” busy, so on a Tuesday morning, you might have a bit more room.

After that, the wind turns nasty. By Wednesday, August 19th, a strong breeze kicks up from the SSW at 28 mph, making a mess of things. The swell drops again, and the window closes.

So, to sum it up: you’re waiting a week for a tiny glassy morning on the 15th, but the real play is the morning of Tuesday, August 18th. That’s your best bet for a clean, fun session with waist-high waves and low wind. Mark it on the calendar, but don’t get your hopes up too high for anything world-class. It’s just a bit of relief.

Rusty.

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