
Surf Forecasts:
Pelican Watch surf forecast from 7 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 11 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 7s period, SSW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 11 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 7s period, SSW swell with 186 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 7 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 6s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Pelican Watch this week:
The surf forecast for Pelican Watch over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 07) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Pelican Watch in the next 16 days are 1.5m 7s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 11) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Friday (Jul 10) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Tue 7th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sat 11th Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Sat 11th Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pelican Watch over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Alright, let’s get into it. I’m Rusty, and I’ve been watching this stretch of coast for a long time.
Honestly, looking at the next 16 days, there’s not a lot to get stoked on. The swell is small and inconsistent, and the wind is often a problem. We’ve got a long stretch of poor conditions before anything even looks like a proper surf session.
The first real chance to get wet is Tuesday morning, July 7th, at Pelican Watch. You’re looking at a tiny 3 ft swell from the south, with a short period of 6 seconds. The combined energy is weak at 64, so it’s not going to have any punch. The wind is a cross-off from the SW, which will keep the surface clean, but the waves are just ordinary. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, so if you’re learning, you might get a few soft ones, but don’t expect anything special.
The pattern repeats for the next few days. Wednesday morning, July 8th, is similar: 3 ft south swell, 6-second period, 62 energy, but at least the wind turns offshore from the WSW. That’s a clean look, but the waves are still very ordinary. Thursday morning, July 9th, is the same story with a cross-off wind and poor conditions. Friday morning, July 10th, brings a slightly bigger 3 ft south swell, still short period, and an offshore wind that cleans things up nicely. The energy is 85, still weak. It’s surfable, but it’s not going to get your heart racing.
Saturday morning, July 11th, sees a 2 ft south swell with light offshore wind, making for clean conditions. Again, it’s ordinary. The rest of the first week is a write-off with small, weak swell and poor wind, mostly cross-off or cross-shore. The combined energy values are very low, often in the teens or twenties.
Now, we hit a gap of a few days where the surf is just not worth paddling out for. The wind is fresh and the swell is tiny.
Moving into the second week, things start to look a little more promising. On Sunday morning, July 19th, we get a 3 ft swell from the SSE with a 7-second period, energy just under 87. The wind is a gentle cross-off from the WNW. It’s still ordinary, but it’s the best we’ve seen in a while.
Then, on Monday morning, July 20th, the combined energy jumps to 117, which is moderate wave energy. The swell is 3 ft from the south, with an 8-second period. The wind is light and cross-shore from the south, so there will be some small ripples on the face. It’s still not great, but it’s the most energy we’ve seen in the whole outlook.
The standout for the whole period, though, is Tuesday morning, July 21st. The wind goes glassy from the WNW at only 3 mph. That’s a rare treat. The swell is 2 ft from the SE with a 7-second period, energy 56. It’s small, but that glassy surface will make it look and feel better than any other day. If you’ve got a longboard, that’s your window. The crowds at Pelican Watch can be a thing, so be ready for company.
The water temperature is about average for the time of year. Nothing unusual there.
To be honest, if you’re looking for proper waves, this forecast is a tough one. The wind is mostly messy, and the swell is tiny. For a kiter, the setup might be more interesting than for a paddle surfer on most of these days. The best bet is that glassy Tuesday morning—it’s the only time the conditions really come together.
Keep your eyes on the charts, though. It tends not to stay this poor for long.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Warm (max 34°C on Wed afternoon, min 28°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 35°C on Sat afternoon, min 28°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Fri afternoon, light winds from the WSW by Sat morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 7 | Wednesday 8 | Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Mon 13 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 10 | S 6 | SE 9 | SE 9 | S 6 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | SSW 6 | SE 9 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SE 9 | SSW 6 | S 6 | SE 9 | SSW 6 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
23 | 40 | 22 | 21 | 41 | 21 | 33 | 50 | 19 | 146 | 70 | 13 | 133 | 38 | 13 | 42 | 31 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 29 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross |
High Tide | 00:57AM1.22m | 1:45PM1.30m | 1:49AM1.15m | 2:43PM1.41m | 2:48AM1.09m | 3:44PM1.51m | 3:50AM1.06m | 4:45PM1.62m | 4:55AM1.06m | 5:46PM1.73m | 5:58AM1.09m | 6:44PM1.80m | 6:59AM1.15m | 7:40PM1.85m | |||||||
Low Tide | 7:09AM0.02m | 7:48PM0.19m | 7:56AM-0.00m | 8:56PM0.18m | 8:49AM-0.04m | 10:06PM0.14m | 9:46AM-0.08m | 11:12PM0.09m | 10:47AM-0.13m | 00:14AM0.02m | 11:48AM-0.18m | 1:11AM-0.04m | 12:47PM-0.22m | ||||||||
— | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | |
8:25 | — | 8:25 | — | — | 8:24 | — | — | 8:24 | — | — | 8:24 | — | — | 8:24 | — | — | 8:23 | — | — | 8:23 | |
mm | 5 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 29 | 32 | 32 | 29 | 32 | 34 | 30 | 33 | 34 | 29 | 32 | 34 | 30 | 32 | 35 | 31 | 32 | 35 | 30 | 29 | 31 |
Feels °C | 31 | 34 | 32 | 30 | 34 | 34 | 31 | 34 | 33 | 30 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 33 | 35 | 32 | 31 | 35 | 29 | 30 | 32 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | S 6 | SE 9 | SE 9 | S 6 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | S 6 | SE 9 | SSW 6 | S 6 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSW 6 | SE 9 |
23 | 40 | 22 | 21 | 41 | 21 | 33 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 38 | 13 | 42 | 16 | 33 | 33 | 10 | 29 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SE 10 | E 11 | E 10 | SE 9 | — | E 12 | — | E 8 | E 11 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | SE 9 | E 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | — | S 5 | SE 10 | SSW 5 |
— | 24 | 2 | 2 | 21 | — | 3 | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 2 | 23 | 31 | — | 9 | 33 | 9 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 9 | E 11 | E 11 | E 10 | — | E 10 | SE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | — | — | — | ENE 5 | ENE 5 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | 7 | 8 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 5 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 5 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 5 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | — | SSW 6 | — | — | S 6 | ENE 4 | — | — |
73 | 69 | 50 | 75 | 74 | 65 | 86 | 50 | 82 | 146 | 70 | 138 | 133 | — | 37 | — | — | 16 | 1 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 351 | 0 | 1237 | 278 | 0 | 956 | 456 | 54 | 650 | 304 | 0 | 294 | 263 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 0 | 532 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Carolina | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Pelican Watch Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Pelican Watch provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Pelican Watch can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Pelican Watch 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 (Pelican Watch) 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 Pelican Watch 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.
Pelican Watch is 26 km (16 miles) from the city of Wilmington. If you plan a vacation in North Carolina, look for hotels and other accommodation in Wilmington. Wilmington has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











