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Nags Head Pier Surf Forecast
/ Carolina North (37 breaks) / North Carolina (27 breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Nags Head Pier surfForecast / Carolina North / USA
16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 1 pm Wednesday 20 May 2026 EDTForecast update in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Nags Head Pier surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Nags Head Pier sea temperature is
19.2° C
(Which is 2.1°C colder than average for this time of year)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 (May 21) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 0.5m and 9s 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 1.1m 7s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (May 23) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 6s period and expected on Monday (May 25) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Thu 21st May) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Thu 21st May) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Sat 23rd May) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Nags Head Pier over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Fri afternoon. Warm (max 26°C on Wed afternoon, min 19°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the S on Wed afternoon, calm by Fri afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Sat night. Warm (max 26°C on Mon afternoon, min 20°C on Sat afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wed 20 | Thursday 21 | Friday 22 | Saturday 23 | Sunday 24 | Monday 25 | Tuesday 26 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | SE 6 | SSE 4 | ENE 7 | SE 7 | E 8 | E 7 | SE 8 | |
46 | 45 | 110 | 118 | 69 | 69 | 100 | 123 | 102 | 69 | 47 | 47 | 51 | 44 | 36 | 29 | 17 | 21 | 19 | 9 | 34 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | cross-off | cross | |
High Tide | 11:43PM1.32m | 12:18PM0.99m | 00:43AM1.23m | 1:22PM1.00m | 1:43AM1.14m | 2:25PM1.02m | 2:41AM1.07m | 3:23PM1.06m | 3:35AM1.00m | 4:15PM1.10m | 4:25AM0.96m | 5:01PM1.14m | 5:12AM0.92m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:10PM0.09m | 6:18AM0.10m | 6:14PM0.15m | 7:16AM0.13m | 7:22PM0.21m | 8:10AM0.15m | 8:29PM0.24m | 9:02AM0.17m | 9:33PM0.26m | 9:48AM0.18m | 10:31PM0.26m | 10:31AM0.18m | 11:23PM0.25m | 11:11AM0.19m | |||||||
 |  |  | |  |  | |  | | |  |  | |  | | | | | | |  | |
 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:48 |
 | 8:04 | — | — | 8:05 | — | — | 8:06 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:08 | — | 8:09 |
— | — | 1 | — | 3 | — | 2 | 7 | — | 1 | 11 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 27 | 6 | |
Temp °C | 26 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 20 |
24 | 21 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 21 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | E 14 | SE 8 | SE 8 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | SE 6 | E 7 | ENE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SSE 8 | SE 8 |
 kJ | 46 | 45 | 110 | 4 | 69 | 69 | 100 | 123 | 102 | 69 | 47 | 47 | 51 | 44 | 36 | 25 | 17 | 21 | 16 | 44 | 34 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 15 | E 14 | E 15 | E 14 | NNE 5 | E 13 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 12 | SSE 5 | E 10 | SE 8 | ENE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 |
| kJ | 4 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 27 | 3 | 53 | 41 | 40 | 40 | 3 | 17 | 7 | 14 | 29 | 12 | 15 | 21 | 19 | 9 | 4 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 14 | — | — | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | SE 7 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | SE 9 | E 9 | E 15 | E 14 | WSW 3 | E 14 |
| kJ | — | 4 | — | — | 4 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 4 | SSE 5 | S 6 | SE 8 | — | NNE 6 | — | — | — | S 3 | SE 8 | SW 3 | SE 7 | SSE 4 | SW 3 | SSE 4 | SSW 4 | SW 3 | SSW 3 | WSW 3 | NE 3 |
| kJ | 14 | 34 | 23 | 118 | — | 55 | — | — | — | 5 | 62 | 1 | 42 | 17 | 1 | 29 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 435 | 254 | 0 | 539 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 25 | 0 | 43 | 78 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 94 | 0 | 254 | 11 | 170 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Carolina | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Nags Head Pier surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
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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