Surf Forecasts:
Pelican Watch surf forecast from 13 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 13 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 10s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 15 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 6s period, ENE swell with 182 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 13 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 10s period with SE 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 Sunday (Sep 13) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 5s. 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 1.6m 6s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 5s period and expected on Monday (Sep 14) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Tue 15th Sep) | 5ft (1.6m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pelican Watch over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here again, same story but in feet and knots for you.
Looking over the next couple of weeks for Pelican Watch, it’s a bleak one. From Sunday the 13th through Saturday the 19th, the swell is pathetic. We’re talking waves around 1 to 2 feet at most, with a few junky 5-foot bumps mid-week. The wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, ruining what little is there. Wave energy is weak, barely cracking 62. There’s no real surf for the first week. It’s a dry spell, and for this area, that’s just how it goes sometimes.
Things pick up in size from Monday the 21st through Wednesday the 23rd, but it’s not good news. Monday afternoon sees 6-foot waves from the ENE with a short 7-second period, and the energy hits a moderate 272. Tuesday and Wednesday push up to 6 to 6 feet, with strong energy readings around 342. The problem? The wind is howling at 19 to 22 knots from the NNE, making it cross-onshore and lumpy. For a beach break like Pelican Watch, this is kite-surfing weather, not paddle surfing. The short period (6 to 7 seconds) means the waves are weak and choppy. Only for the most determined.
Late in the run, on Friday the 25th and Saturday the 26th, we see 6-foot waves with energy up to 379, but again, the wind is strong and cross-shore, keeping things messy. Saturday afternoon the wind finally goes cross-off from the NNW, but the swell drops to just 2 feet, so it’s clean but tiny.
The only faint glimmer is Sunday the 27th morning. Clean, cross-off wind at 12 knots, but the swell is a pathetic 1 foot with a long 10-second period from the east. That long period groundswell would be clean at a point break, but at Pelican Watch it’s just too small to ride.
No true standouts here. If you’re itching for a paddle, the 27th might give you a clean little wave, but don’t expect much.
Keep your board waxed and wait for a better swell.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 32°C on Mon afternoon, min 22°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Thu night. Warm (max 27°C on Thu afternoon, min 19°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 5 | E 6 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | E 5 | SE 5 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 42 | 45 | 41 | 39 | 38 | 38 | 182 | 139 | 126 | 112 | 86 | 82 | 108 | 70 | 72 | 47 | 20 | 14 | 22 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:23PM1.53m | 9:47AM1.65m | 10:04PM1.43m | 10:30AM1.62m | 10:45PM1.31m | 11:13AM1.56m | 11:27PM1.20m | 11:59AM1.50m | 00:12AM1.10m | 12:50PM1.43m | 1:03AM1.03m | 1:48PM1.37m | 2:03AM0.99m | ||||||
Low Tide | 3:21AM0.01m | 3:55PM0.05m | 3:59AM0.06m | 4:42PM0.13m | 4:37AM0.12m | 5:30PM0.22m | 5:16AM0.20m | 6:21PM0.30m | 5:59AM0.26m | 7:18PM0.37m | 6:49AM0.32m | 8:21PM0.42m | |||||||
 |  | | |  |  |  | | |  | | |  | | |  | | | | |
 | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — |
 | 7:22 | — | 7:21 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:17 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:14 | — |
mm | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 9 | 4 | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 26 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 26 |
Feels °C | 29 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 26 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 9 | S 5 | SE 9 | SE 9 | — | E 15 | E 15 | E 14 | E 9 | SE 14 | SE 14 | SE 13 | SE 13 | ESE 9 | E 8 | E 5 | E 7 |
| kJ | 42 | 45 | 41 | 23 | 38 | 38 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 14 | 4 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SE 9 | SSW 5 | SSW 4 | — | — | — | — | SE 14 | — | — | E 9 | SE 9 | SE 13 | ESE 9 | SE 5 | ESE 9 |
| kJ | — | — | — | 39 | 8 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | 2 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 7 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 12 | E 8 | ESE 12 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 4 | 14 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 4 | S 5 | S 5 | SSW 5 | — | — | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 5 | E 6 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | — | SE 5 |
| kJ | 19 | 17 | 16 | 33 | — | — | 182 | 139 | 126 | 112 | 86 | 82 | 108 | 70 | 72 | 47 | 20 | — | 22 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 352 | 82 | 298 | 19 | 54 | 837 | 1573 | 140 | 140 | 42 | 605 | 140 | 30 | 956 | 821 | 142 | 351 | 751 | 352 |
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.
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