
Surf Forecasts:
Pelican Watch surf forecast from 14 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 6s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 7s period, SSW swell with 247 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 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 Monday (Jul 20) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 6s period. 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 1.7m 7s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 18) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Sun 19th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pelican Watch over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Pelican Watch.
To be straight with you, the next week and a half is mostly a bust. We’ve got a long stretch of tiny, weak, and messy conditions from now all the way through to the end of next week. The swell energy is barely registering – mostly single-digit or low double-digit numbers (7 to 103), and the wind is either cross-on, onshore, or just cross-off with no real power behind the waves. The water is sitting at a warm 83°F, which is about average for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick suit.
The first real flicker of something worth paddling out for shows up on Sunday the 19th in the morning. We’ll see a chest-high 5ft swell from the south, with a period of 7 seconds, and clean cross-off winds from the southwest. The combined energy jumps to 292 (moderate), and it’s cross-off, so the lines will be tidy. The catch is that the swell is short-period, so it’ll be a bit weak and fat, and the crowd situation can be busy here – expect company. This is the best of a pretty average run, but it’s a Sunday morning, so get in early.
The following Monday morning (20th) and Tuesday morning (21st) are surfable but pretty ordinary – 3ft to 4ft south swell, clean but weak, with energy dropping back to 81 and 131. Nothing to write home about.
Then there’s a gap of a few days with nothing good until Wednesday the 22nd morning. That morning we get a glassy, zero-wind session with a 3ft south swell and clean conditions. The energy is only 98, so it’s small, but if you’re a beginner, that’s a fun little window. The water is still warm, and the wind is dead calm – glassy. That’s a nice wee moment.
The next real standout comes later. On Saturday the 25th morning, we get a 3ft south-southwest swell with a clean cross-off breeze and a combined energy of 86. Not big, but it’s clean and the swell direction is from the south, which is what Pelican Watch likes (optimum is SE). It’s a gentle morning, and the crowds will be there, but it’s a decent bet for a longboard or a funboard.
The final highlight is the morning of Monday the 27th – a 2ft swell from the ESE, with a period of 8 seconds, and a nice light offshore wind from the WSW. The energy is only 52, so it’s small, but offshore wind at a beach break like this will have it glassy and peeling. That’s a real gem if you’re after a quiet, clean session.
If you’re a beginner, these small, clean mornings are your best bet. The bigger stuff (5ft to 5ft) is still manageable, but the short period makes it a bit lumpy. There’s nothing here for experts – no real power or size.
Overall, the standout is Sunday morning the 19th for the biggest swell, but the cleanest and most fun is probably the glassy Wednesday 22nd morning or the offshore Monday 27th morning. Stay patient.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 30°C on Thu afternoon, min 25°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 33°C on Sun afternoon, min 28°C on Fri morning). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ENE 7 | E 5 | E 6 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | S 4 | S 5 | S 6 | S 7 | S 7 | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | SSW 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
75 | 78 | 39 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 12 | 55 | 167 | 181 | 128 | 113 | 81 | 92 | 0 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | 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-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:33PM1.85m | 8:52AM1.28m | 9:25PM1.80m | 9:47AM1.33m | 10:15PM1.71m | 10:41AM1.36m | 11:04PM1.59m | 11:36AM1.37m | 11:52PM1.44m | 12:31PM1.36m | 00:41AM1.29m | 1:26PM1.35m | 1:32AM1.14m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:46PM-0.24m | 2:56AM-0.12m | 2:43PM-0.22m | 3:45AM-0.14m | 3:39PM-0.17m | 4:32AM-0.13m | 4:35PM-0.10m | 5:19AM-0.10m | 5:31PM-0.00m | 6:05AM-0.06m | 6:30PM0.10m | 6:50AM-0.00m | 7:31PM0.18m | ||||||||
6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | |
— | 8:23 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:21 | — | |
mm | 1 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 8 |
Temp °C | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 31 | 31 | 29 | 31 | 32 | 29 | 32 | 33 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 29 |
Feels °C | 29 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 32 | 30 | 29 | 33 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 31 | 29 | 33 | 31 | 31 | 34 | 32 | 32 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SE 9 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 13 | — | S 7 | — | — | — | E 12 | — |
27 | 21 | 39 | 19 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 6 | 3 | — | 111 | — | — | — | 3 | — | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | — | E 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | 20 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 4 | — | SW 5 | SW 5 | SW 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 7 | E 5 | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 3 | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | S 4 | S 5 | S 6 | S 7 | S 7 | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | SSW 6 |
75 | 78 | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 12 | 55 | 167 | 181 | 128 | 113 | 81 | 92 | 140 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1837 | 602 | 110 | 42 | 575 | 892 | 892 | 742 | 1573 | 1580 | 1610 | 1580 | 1573 | 363 | 352 | 19 | 304 | 0 | 0 | 527 | 54 |
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.










