Surf Forecasts:
Nags Head Pier surf forecast from 18 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 25 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 11s period, NE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 24 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 12s period, NE swell with 3,506 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 21 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 7s period with ENE 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 Monday (Sep 21) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 11s. 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 3.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 24) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 4s period and expected on Friday (Sep 25) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Mon 21st Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Fri 25th Sep) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Thu 24th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Nags Head Pier over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 27°C on Fri afternoon, min 24°C on Sat morning). Winds increasing (calm on Fri afternoon, fresh winds from the NE by Sat morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 33mm), heaviest during Wed morning. Warm (max 26°C on Tue morning, min 20°C on Thu morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the ENE on Mon afternoon, near gales from the N by Wed night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | Monday 21 | Tuesday 22 | Wednesday 23 | Thursday 24 | ||||||||||||||
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 7 | E 12 | NE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | NE 7 | NE 9 | NE 10 | NE 10 | ENE 11 | NE 12 | NE 11 | NE 11 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 25 | 24 | 47 | 84 | 181 | 361 | 250 | 136 | 86 | 74 | 80 | 41 | 47 | 255 | 696 | 810 | 2904 | 3506 | 3301 | 2015 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross | cross-on | on | on | cross | cross | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:39AM0.80m | 2:14PM1.01m | 2:39AM0.79m | 3:13PM1.00m | 3:42AM0.82m | 4:10PM1.01m | 4:40AM0.87m | 5:03PM1.04m | 5:30AM0.95m | 5:51PM1.07m | 6:16AM1.04m | 6:35PM1.10m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:52PM0.35m | 7:33AM0.33m | 8:50PM0.37m | 8:34AM0.35m | 9:48PM0.36m | 9:38AM0.34m | 10:41PM0.32m | 10:38AM0.30m | 11:27PM0.27m | 11:33AM0.25m | 00:08AM0.21m | 12:23PM0.19m | 00:47AM0.15m | |||||||
 |  |  | |  | | | | | | |  | |  |  | |  |  |  |  | |
 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — |
 | 7:05 | — | — | 7:04 | — | — | 7:02 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:57 | — |
mm | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 18 | — | 1 | 2 | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 27 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 20 |
Feels °C | 28 | 29 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 14 | 14 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | NE 7 | E 12 | E 12 | E 11 | — | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | NE 7 | NE 9 | NE 10 | NE 10 | SSE 6 | ENE 12 | — | NE 11 |
| kJ | 25 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | — | 250 | 136 | 86 | 74 | 80 | 41 | 47 | 255 | 696 | 810 | 6 | 1963 | — | 2015 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 12 | E 7 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | — | — | — | E 11 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | E 10 | E 8 | ESE 10 | SE 9 | SSE 5 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 11 | 10 | 8 | 8 | — | — | — | 2 | 17 | 16 | 9 | 8 | 33 | 9 | 20 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | E 12 | — | — | — | — | — | E 11 | — | SE 8 | NE 6 | E 15 | E 17 | E 15 | S 6 | ESE 9 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 3 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 16 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 16 | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 3 | — | NE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | NE 6 | — | N 3 | — | — | ENE 11 | NE 12 | NE 11 | NNW 7 |
| kJ | 1 | — | 47 | 84 | 181 | 361 | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | 6 | — | — | 2904 | 3506 | 3301 | 161 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 605 | 84 | 804 | 1081 | 1073 | 84 | 867 | 17 | 49 | 556 | 699 | 1060 | 1073 | 94 | 1060 | 438 | 1857 | 172 | 174 | 94 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Carolina | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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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