Surf Forecasts:
Nags Head Pier surf forecast from 27 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 8s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 11s period, ESE swell with 126 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 28 Aug, 11AM (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 Friday (Aug 28) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 8s period. 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 0.7m 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 3s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 03) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 11AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Nags Head Pier over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let's get into it. Rusty here, looking at the next couple of weeks for the Outer Banks. Honestly, the first week is a bit of a letdown. We’ve got a long stretch from now until the end of August where the waves are just too small and messy to get excited about. You’re looking at a good four or five days of tiny, weak surf with poor conditions, so you might as well save your energy.
Things start to look a bit more interesting as we head into the first week of September. Wednesday the 2nd sees a noticeable bump in energy – the combined swell energy hits around 123 (moderate). We’re looking at clean 2ft waves from the ESE with a 11-second period, which is a proper groundswell. That longer period will mean better shaped waves and more push, but at a beach break like Nags Head Pier, it might get a little straight. The morning looks clean with a light offshore wind, which is a major positive.
That little pulse of energy hangs in there for a while. By Monday the 7th of September, the swell builds again. The morning has a combined energy of 106 with 2ft waves, but it gets stronger into the afternoon with 3ft ENE swell and energy jumping to 215. That’s a moderate energy event, but the wind has turned cross-onshore, so it’s going to be choppy. Not ideal.
The real standout of the whole period looks like Tuesday the 8th of September. The swell holds at 3ft from the ENE with a 9-second period, and the combined energy is a solid 262. More importantly, the morning has the wind swinging around to a light north breeze, offering a light cross-shore with very small ripples. It’s the closest we get to clean conditions with the most consistent swell. It’s not huge, but for the area, this is your best bet. The water temp is sitting around 82°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be comfortable in boardshorts.
After that, the forecast gets a bit shaky again with winds and onshore conditions messing things up into the second week. There’s another pulse of energy around the 11th of September, but it’s smaller and the wind is off or cross, so it’s just another average day. Don’t hold your breath for anything epic.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 36mm), heaviest during Fri afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Fri afternoon, min 25°C on Fri afternoon). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the S on Thu night, calm by Sat morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Warm (max 33°C on Tue afternoon, min 26°C on Sun afternoon). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSE on Sun afternoon, fresh winds from the WSW by Tue night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 64 | 56 | 36 | 35 | 22 | 37 | 37 | 22 | 28 | 26 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 12 | 19 | 49 | 123 | 104 | 72 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 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 | 11:51AM1.27m | 00:11AM0.99m | |||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 5:22AM0.09m | 6:16PM0.14m | ||||||||
 |  | |  |  | |  | |  | | | | |  | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — |
 | 7:37 | — | — | 7:36 | — | — | 7:34 | — | — | 7:32 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — |
mm | 2 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 30 | 28 | 28 | 33 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 |
Feels °C | 27 | 26 | 29 | 31 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 27 | 33 | 28 | 29 | 34 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | NNE 5 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 |
| kJ | 64 | 56 | 36 | 35 | 22 | 37 | 37 | 10 | 28 | 26 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 12 | 19 | 49 | 123 | 104 | 72 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 12 | E 12 | SSE 5 | E 11 | SE 5 | E 10 | — | ESE 8 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NNE 4 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 5 | ESE 9 | ESE 13 | ESE 9 | — | — | — |
| kJ | 12 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | — | 22 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 18 | 31 | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 12 | E 11 | SSE 5 | E 10 | S 5 | E 10 | SSE 5 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 14 | — | E 8 | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | 11 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 5 | S 4 | — | S 2 | — | WNW 3 | — | — | — | — | SSW 3 | WSW 3 | SW 2 | SW 3 | WSW 3 | SSW 2 | SSW 3 | WSW 3 | SW 2 | SSW 3 |
| kJ | 2 | 12 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1073 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 0 | 174 | 493 | 43 | 2510 | 677 | 43 | 1076 | 1086 | 245 | 1171 | 94 | 5 | 25 | 78 |
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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