Surf Forecasts:
Nags Head Pier surf forecast from 8 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 9 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 7s period, NE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 13 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 8s period, E swell with 566 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 9 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 7s period with NE 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 (Jul 09) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. 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 2.2m 8s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 13) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 09) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Thu 9th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Thu 9th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Mon 13th Jul) | 7ft (2.2m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Nags Head Pier over the next 16 days.
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu at Nags Head Pier.
Look, it’s a quiet stretch ahead for this spot, and I won’t sugarcoat it. The first real chance to get wet doesn't show up until Thursday morning, July 9th, after a quiet Wednesday. Even then, it’s a small day. Thursday morning you’ve got a weak, clean 2ft swell coming out of the NE, with a light WSW offshore breeze keeping things tidy. It’s surfable, but you won’t be writing home about it. The energy is low at (71), so paddle out for a few if you’re jonesing, but don’t expect much push.
We hit a real flat spell from Friday through Sunday, with tiny waves and not much to recommend. Then Monday, July 13th, the ocean wakes up. A solid 6ft NE swell rolls in for the morning, with moderate cross-onshore wind. The combined swell energy jumps to (260), so there’s some juice. By Monday afternoon, the swell builds to 8ft from the ENE, and the energy skyrockets to (547). But the wind goes onshore and fresh at 35 km/h, making it lumpy and messy. This is stout, raw power – too big for beginners and really only for experienced surfers who don't mind a beatdown in choppy conditions.
Tuesday, July 14th, is similar. Still a solid 6ft swell, still fresh cross-onshore wind. Energy stays strong at (412) in the morning. The vibe is all power and no polish. If you’re a strong paddler and want some grunt, you can find a wave, but it won’t be pretty.
Wednesday, July 15th, brings a bit of relief. The morning shows 5ft from the ENE, but with a light NW cross-offshore breeze and clean conditions. The energy drops to (199) – moderate. This is probably the best balance of the whole outlook: some size, clean lines, and manageable crowds. If you want a window to surf, Wednesday morning is your best bet for a decent, fun session.
After that, it trails off. By Thursday, July 16th, we’re back to tiny leftover energy, and the following days see nothing but small, weak, or blown-out conditions all the way through to July 23rd. There’s a glassy moment on Sunday, July 19th morning – 1ft from the SE, glassy – but the swell is so slight it’s barely a ripple.
So, standout? Wednesday, July 15th morning. That’s the one. After that, we’re waiting on a new swell.
Stay tuned, forecasts can shift. But right now, Nags Head is playing hard to get.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Tue night. Warm (max 32°C on Thu afternoon, min 24°C on Wed morning). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 22mm), heaviest during Mon afternoon. Warm (max 30°C on Fri night, min 23°C on Mon afternoon). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SW on Fri night, light winds from the NE by Sat night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 8 | Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tue 14 | |||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 9 | ENE 5 | NE 5 | ENE 5 | NE 7 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 7 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | E 4 | SE 10 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | E 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 28 | 61 | 49 | 40 | 36 | 45 | 29 | 15 | 15 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 22 | 12 | 40 | 220 | 260 | 547 | 463 | 365 | 365 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | cross | off | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:48AM1.02m | 2:32PM1.20m | 2:45AM1.00m | 3:29PM1.26m | 3:45AM0.98m | 4:29PM1.32m | 4:47AM0.97m | 5:29PM1.37m | 5:50AM0.98m | 6:30PM1.41m | 6:52AM1.01m | 7:29PM1.43m | 7:52AM1.04m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:00AM0.10m | 8:52PM0.20m | 8:52AM0.08m | 9:55PM0.18m | 9:49AM0.06m | 10:59PM0.15m | 10:48AM0.04m | 00:03AM0.11m | 11:49AM0.02m | 1:03AM0.08m | 12:51PM-0.00m | 2:01AM0.06m | 1:51PM-0.01m | ||||||||
 | |  |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | |  |  | | |  |  | |
 | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — |
 | 8:22 | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:20 | — | — | 8:20 | — | — | 8:19 |
mm | 9 | 4 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 8 | 13 | 12 | 18 | 2 |
Temp °C | 30 | 24 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 32 | 30 | 29 | 32 | 30 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 24 |
Feels °C | 32 | 25 | 26 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 28 | 29 | 32 | 27 | 25 | 28 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 6 | SSE 6 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | NE 7 | NE 8 | NE 8 | SSE 7 | NE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 9 | NNE 4 | SE 9 | NE 6 | SSE 5 | SE 10 | S 6 | — | — | ESE 9 | — |
| kJ | 9 | 4 | 29 | 34 | 36 | 45 | 29 | 21 | 15 | 22 | 12 | 3 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 23 | 3 | — | — | 47 | — |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | S 6 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 8 | SSE 7 | NE 8 | SE 8 | NE 7 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | NNE 4 | E 10 | SE 10 | S 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 28 | 31 | 3 | 32 | 32 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 23 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 6 | E 12 | E 12 | SSE 6 | ESE 4 | — | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | S 4 | ENE 7 | ESE 9 | ENE 7 | NE 6 | S 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 11 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 3 | — | 16 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 3 | ENE 5 | NE 5 | ENE 5 | — | S 3 | SSW 4 | WSW 3 | — | NW 3 | NW 3 | — | — | E 4 | E 4 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | E 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 |
| kJ | 1 | 61 | 49 | 40 | — | 4 | 21 | 4 | — | 4 | 3 | — | — | 12 | 40 | 220 | 260 | 547 | 463 | 365 | 365 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 43 | 84 | 84 | 289 | 0 | 94 | 17 | 17 | 254 | 459 | 199 | 1283 | 189 | 174 | 321 | 321 | 239 | 516 | 336 | 334 | 174 |
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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