Surf Forecasts:
Pelican Watch surf forecast from 11 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 13 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 10s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 15 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 6s period, ENE swell with 150 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 13 Sep, 5AM (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 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m 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 1.4m 6s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 13) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Tue 15th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pelican Watch over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let me look at this forecast for Pelican Watch. To be straight up with you, the first week-plus is a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a whole lot of nothing going on that’s worth paddling out for. For the first 11 days from now, it’s pretty much a surf drought – small, weak, wind-affected slop. Not worth wetting your wetsuit for.
Things start to turn a little towards the end of the run. Around the 23rd of September, we finally get some juice. Wednesday afternoon sees a pulse of 5ft swell from the ENE, and the wind goes light and cross-off from the NNW. That combo cleans things up nicely, with a combined energy of 345 (moderate). The water temp here is sitting at 81°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
But the real standout, the one I’d circle on your calendar, is Thursday the 24th of September. The morning has clean, light cross-off winds from the NW with a solid 4ft ENE swell. And then Thursday afternoon? Glassy conditions, literally zero wind, with the same 4ft swell and combined energy of 226 (moderate). That’s the pick of the whole 16 days – clean, fun size, and decent shape for a beginner-friendly spot like this. It’s a consistent break, but it can get crowded, so get in early.
The swell direction from the ENE is a bit off the optimum SE direction this spot likes, but with that glassy wind and manageable size, it’ll still be plenty of fun for beginners and cruisers. If it gets over 5ft later in the run, it’s pushing too big for a beginner, but that 4ft is a sweet spot.
After that, Friday the 25th gets blown out again by onshore winds, so don’t sleep on that Thursday window.
Stay sharp, and see you out there.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Fri morning. Warm (max 31°C on Sun afternoon, min 26°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Mon night. Warm (max 32°C on Mon afternoon, min 20°C on Wed morning). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 5 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 31 | 25 | 24 | 36 | 39 | 42 | 45 | 41 | 40 | 30 | 30 | 130 | 150 | 106 | 75 | 66 | 70 | 66 | 66 | 109 | 104 |
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 | off | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on |
High Tide | 8:18AM1.59m | 8:41PM1.62m | 9:03AM1.64m | 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 | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:21PM-0.05m | 2:43AM-0.01m | 3:09PM-0.01m | 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 | ||||||||
 | |  | |  | | | |  |  | |  | | | | | |  | | | | |
 | 6:50 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — |
 | — | 7:23 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:21 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:17 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — |
mm | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 11 |
Temp °C | 28 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 27 | 27 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 32 | 29 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 |
Feels °C | 32 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 31 | 28 | 29 | 32 | 31 | 34 | 34 | 31 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 27 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | — | E 15 | E 15 | E 14 | SE 14 | SE 14 | E 8 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 13 |
| kJ | 31 | 25 | 24 | 36 | 39 | 42 | 45 | 41 | 40 | 30 | 30 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 4 | E 8 | E 8 | S 4 | — | — | S 5 | E 6 | SSW 5 | S 5 | S 5 | SW 4 | E 15 | — | — | — | — | SE 14 | — | — | SE 9 |
| kJ | 6 | 1 | 1 | 6 | — | — | 11 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | 3 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 6 | E 5 | SW 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSW 4 | S 4 | — | S 5 | S 4 | SSW 5 | S 5 | SW 5 | — | — | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 5 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 7 |
| kJ | — | 3 | 3 | — | 10 | 20 | 19 | 11 | 28 | — | — | 130 | 150 | 106 | 75 | 66 | 70 | 66 | 66 | 109 | 104 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 243 | 575 | 282 | 1230 | 1232 | 22 | 0 | 294 | 0 | 54 | 54 | 529 | 1583 | 140 | 1213 | 1230 | 1230 | 54 | 705 | 1120 | 140 |
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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