Surf Forecasts:
Nags Head Pier surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 27 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 8s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 11s period, ESE swell with 128 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 8s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Nags Head Pier this week:
The surf forecast for Nags Head Pier over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 13s. Another secondary swell of 0.5m and 4s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Nags Head Pier in the next 16 days are 0.8m 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Nags Head Pier over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for the Outer Banks. We’ve got a long 16-day window, but I’m not gonna lie to you, the first week is a real struggle. Most of the time, the waves are just too small and weak to get excited about. We’re looking at a couple of weeks of patience before things really turn on.
The first few days, right through to the end of August, are a write-off. The swell is barely a ripple, with combined energy sitting in the weak zone (around 22 to 86). The wind is all over the place, and the water is a warm 82°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s nice for a swim, but not for a surf.
We get a bit of a pulse on the 2nd of September. Wednesday morning, the swell picks up to 2ft from the ESE, and the energy jumps to a moderate 123. The wind is offshore from the W, so it’s clean. But the period is a short 11 seconds, and the quality is just "ordinary." It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about. The following days drop back into the doldrums.
The real shift happens on the 7th of September. Monday afternoon, the swell from the ENE picks up to 3ft with a period of 11 seconds, and the energy is strong at 240. The wind is cross-offshore from the NW, keeping it clean. The forecast says "expect good surf conditions." This is where it gets interesting. The next morning, Tuesday the 8th, is the standout. Nags Head Pier (Outer Banks) is the spot. We’ve got a clean 3ft swell from the ENE, with a long 11-second period and a strong energy reading of 249. The wind is offshore from the WNW. This is a proper groundswell setup, and the pier will handle that long-period energy well. The water is still around average for the season. This is your best window. The swell is a solid size, but not too big for intermediates, and the offshore wind will have it glassy. Keep in mind, the crowds can be a factor here, so get out early.
The days after that still have some life in them, with a 3-3ft ENE swell lingering through the 9th, but the wind gets messy again on the afternoon. The 10th is a drop-off back to small stuff. So, the clear winner is the 7th afternoon and the 8th morning. Don't sleep on it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 37mm), heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 27°C on Wed afternoon, min 23°C on Fri afternoon). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the S on Thu night, calm by Fri night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 31°C on Mon afternoon, min 26°C on Sat afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | ESE 12 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 36 | 26 | 38 | 59 | 56 | 36 | 35 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 26 | 28 | 26 | 23 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 12 | 14 | 49 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:11PM1.13m | 7:30AM1.01m | 7:52PM1.15m | 8:12AM1.08m | 8:32PM1.15m | 8:53AM1.15m | 9:12PM1.15m | 9:34AM1.20m | 9:53PM1.12m | 10:16AM1.24m | 10:35PM1.09m | 11:02AM1.26m | 11:21PM1.04m | |||||||
Low Tide | 1:31AM0.21m | 1:34PM0.16m | 2:08AM0.16m | 2:19PM0.13m | 2:44AM0.12m | 3:03PM0.10m | 3:20AM0.09m | 3:48PM0.09m | 3:58AM0.08m | 4:34PM0.09m | 4:38AM0.08m | 5:23PM0.11m | ||||||||
 |  |  | |  | |  |  | | | | | | | | |  | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — |
 | 7:38 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:36 | — | — | 7:34 | — | — | 7:32 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — |
mm | — | 4 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 5 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 31 | 28 | 28 | 32 | 31 |
Feels °C | 26 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 28 | 28 | 33 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | SE 5 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | ESE 9 |
| kJ | 36 | 26 | 38 | 59 | 56 | 36 | 35 | 13 | 22 | 21 | 26 | 28 | 26 | 23 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 12 | 12 | 31 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 15 | ESE 7 | SE 4 | E 12 | E 12 | SSE 5 | E 11 | ESE 8 | SE 5 | SE 5 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 14 | ESE 9 | ESE 12 |
| kJ | 17 | 11 | 4 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 22 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 49 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 14 | E 13 | E 8 | E 12 | E 11 | — | E 10 | ENE 10 | E 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 15 | E 10 | E 13 | — |
| kJ | — | 15 | 13 | 1 | 11 | 10 | — | 8 | 10 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | 14 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSE 4 | — | SSE 4 | S 6 | — | SSE 5 | SW 2 | N 3 | — | — | — | — | SSE 2 | — | S 2 | SSW 4 | WSW 3 | SW 3 | SSW 3 |
| kJ | — | 8 | — | 14 | 40 | — | 9 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 7 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1734 | 655 | 5 | 1073 | 94 | 94 | 70 | 0 | 84 | 84 | 43 | 43 | 2371 | 867 | 634 | 634 | 1076 | 217 | 1086 | 217 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Carolina | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Nags Head Pier Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Nags Head Pier provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Nags Head Pier can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Nags Head Pier surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Nags Head Pier) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Nags Head Pier may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Are you planning a vacation in North Carolina? If you are looking for accommodation near Nags Head Pier, camping, hotels and condos and appartments in North Carolina, consider staying in Elizabeth City which is 66 km (41 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in Cape Hatteras which is 83 km (52 miles) away
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