Surf Forecasts:
Pelican Watch surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 23 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 7s period, SSW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 22 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 7s period, SSW swell with 299 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 23 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 7s period with SSW 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 Thursday (Jul 23) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Pelican Watch in the next 16 days are 1.8m 7s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-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 Sunday (Jul 19) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pelican Watch over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright mate, let’s talk Pelican Watch – it’s the only game in town, and it’s a quiet one. We’ve got a 9-day dry spell right off the bat, from July 19 through the 27th. Nothing but poor conditions, tiny leftover waves, or messy wind. Water temp is about 84°F, which is average for this time of year, so no complaints there.
The first real chance to paddle out is Tuesday July 28, first light. Waves are only 2ft from the east, period 8 seconds – small, but the wind is glassy, dead calm. That’s a rare treat, even if the energy is weak at 52. You’ll be sliding on knee-high glass, but it’s clean as can be. The afternoon swings to a cross-shore breeze, so the window is short.
Next up, Thursday July 30 morning – again glassy, with 2ft from the south, period 6 seconds. Short period, but smooth. Energy is 50, so same story – small and weak. Good for a quick session if you’re desperate.
Then Friday July 31 afternoon offers 2ft south swell at 6 seconds, with a cross-off breeze from the west-southwest. It’s not glassy but still rideable, energy 55. Those three windows are it. There’s a bigger pulse around July 22 – 5ft to 6ft – but the wind is strong and cross-off, making it a mess. If you’re a beginner, the small waves are fine, but don’t expect much push. The best bet is July 28 morning – that’s your standout, even if it’s tiny. Stick to that, and you’ll get the cleanest surf of the whole 16 days.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Mon night. Warm (max 31°C on Sun morning, min 27°C on Mon night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Wed night. Warm (max 30°C on Wed morning, min 23°C on Fri morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Wed night, light winds from the NE by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | S 6 | ESE 8 | E 12 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | S 6 | S 6 | S 7 | S 7 | SSW 6 | SSW 7 | S 7 | S 6 | ENE 5 | NE 5 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 97 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 255 | 212 | 252 | 240 | 85 | 47 | 69 | 73 | 51 | 41 | 51 | 37 | 36 |
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 | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on |
High Tide | 12:31PM1.36m | 00:41AM1.29m | 1:26PM1.35m | 1:32AM1.14m | 2:23PM1.34m | 2:26AM1.03m | 3:20PM1.34m | 3:23AM0.94m | 4:16PM1.35m | 4:22AM0.91m | 5:09PM1.37m | 5:17AM0.91m | 5:58PM1.41m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:30PM0.10m | 6:50AM-0.00m | 7:31PM0.18m | 7:37AM0.06m | 8:36PM0.25m | 8:25AM0.11m | 9:42PM0.28m | 9:15AM0.14m | 10:45PM0.28m | 10:07AM0.16m | 11:40PM0.26m | 10:58AM0.15m | 00:28AM0.23m | ||||||||
 |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | | |  | | | |  |  |  | |
 | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — |
 | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:20 | — | — | 8:20 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:17 | — | — | 8:17 | — |
mm | 2 | — | 1 | 2 | — | 8 | — | — | 7 | 1 | — | 12 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 13 |
Temp °C | 31 | 31 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 22 |
Feels °C | 31 | 30 | 27 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 31 | 28 | 26 | 22 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 21 | 23 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | — | — | — | ESE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | S 7 | S 6 | S 6 | ESE 8 | S 6 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 |
| kJ | — | 6 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 | — | — | — | 8 | 19 | 19 | 85 | 47 | 16 | 43 | 33 | 41 | 51 | 37 | 36 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | — | E 12 | E 12 | — | — | — | — | — | SE 9 | — | — | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 5 | SE 8 | S 6 | S 5 | S 6 | SSW 6 |
| kJ | 3 | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 13 | — | — | 16 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 51 | 16 | 12 | 23 | 11 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 8 | ENE 5 | ENE 4 | — | — | E 6 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 65 | 16 | 2 | — | — | 6 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 5 | SSW 6 | S 6 | S 6 | S 7 | S 7 | SSW 6 | SSW 7 | — | ENE 2 | ENE 5 | NE 5 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | — | NE 4 | NE 5 |
| kJ | 97 | 141 | 128 | 74 | 91 | 94 | 94 | 160 | 255 | 212 | 252 | 240 | — | 1 | 69 | 73 | 132 | 47 | — | 8 | 17 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 304 | 527 | 465 | 253 | 282 | 519 | 1230 | 1108 | 355 | 527 | 352 | 302 | 3 | 138 | 138 | 138 | 138 | 23 | 22 | 110 | 110 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Carolina | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
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 Pelican Watch 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 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.
Nearest