Pelican Watch Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.04° N 77.89° W

Pelican Watch Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 pm 20 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Pelican Watch sea temperature is
28.8° C
0.6° 

Pelican Watch surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Pelican Watch surf forecast from 21 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 8s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 22 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 7s period, S swell with 222 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 24 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 8s 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 Friday (Jul 24) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 8s 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 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 Wednesday (Jul 22) at 2PM.

Wave TypeTime (EDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8AM (Fri 24th Jul)1.5ft (0.5m) 8s
Best Surf 8AM (Fri 24th Jul)1.5ft (0.5m) 8s
Most Powerful 5AM (Wed 22nd Jul)5ft (1.6m) 7s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pelican Watch over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Pelican Watch.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a real quiet start. The first few days are pretty much a write-off for any decent paddle surfing. We’re looking at tiny swell and, for the most part, messy or strong winds. Hold your horses.

Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd are total duds. The swell is barely a ripple, with a combined energy of just 20 on Tuesday morning and 188 on Wednesday morning, but that’s a short-period windswell of 5 ft that’s getting hammered by a moderate breeze. It’s just not worth getting wet.

Now, things start to get a little interesting towards the end of the week. Friday the 24th is the first time we see a bit of life. The wind goes light and glassy in the afternoon, and the swell is a tiny 2 ft from the SE at 8 seconds. The combined energy is only 72, so it’s weak, but for a beginner spot, that clean, glassy surface is a huge plus. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. The water temperature is about average for this time of year.

Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th offer similar tiny, glassy windows in the afternoons, but the swell is just too small and weak to really get excited about. The energy is sitting around 51 to 66. It’s clean, but it’s a dribbler.

The next real hope comes on Wednesday the 29th. The morning shows a jump in size with a 5 ft swell from the SSW, but the period is a short 7 seconds. The combined energy hits 261, which is moderate, but it's a bit of a lumpy, wind-affected swell from the cross-off breeze. This is about as big as it gets, and at 5 ft, it’s starting to push beyond beginner territory. The cross-off wind will keep it clean, but the short period means it’s going to be a bit weak and messy.

Into the first week of August, Saturday the 1st sees a 4 ft southerly swell with a 6-second period, but it’s onshore and choppy. Not great. The following days drop back down to small, weak swells. The best of the rest is probably the morning of Tuesday the 4th, with a 4 ft southerly swell and a light, clean cross-off breeze. The energy is 98, so it’s weak, but at least it’s clean.

The Standout: Honestly, for the whole 16-day window, the pickings are slim. The best bet for a beginner looking for a safe, clean wave is Friday morning, July 24th. The swell is only 2 ft from the ESE, but the wind is a light offshore from the W, making for clean conditions. For a more experienced surfer, the only real swell pulse is Wednesday morning, July 29th. That 5 ft SSW swell with moderate energy (261) is the biggest we’ll see, and the cross-off wind will keep it clean. It’s not going to be world-class, but it’s the only window of proper size in the whole run. Just keep in mind, crowds are possible at this spot.

Stay patient, mates. The forecast can always change.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Thu afternoon. Warm (max 30°C on Tue morning, min 27°C on Mon night). Mainly fresh winds.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 53mm), heaviest during Thu night. Warm (max 27°C on Fri afternoon, min 23°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
Sunday
26
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
1
0
1
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
SE
8
0.4
SE
8
1.4
S
6
1.6
S
6
1.4
SSW
6
0.4
SE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.7
S
5
0.6
ESE
8
0.7
SE
8
0.9
SE
8
0.7
ESE
8
0.7
ESE
7
0.6
ESE
8
0.5
ESE
8
0.5
ESE
8
0.4
ESE
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
9
20
0
202
165
24
24
16
16
25
43
65
86
50
48
37
35
35
20
Wind (km/h)
20
SSW
25
SSW
35
SSW
30
SSW
25
SW
30
SSW
30
SSW
25
SW
15
N
5
ENE
5
W
5
SSW
10
SW
10
N
5
NE
5
NNW
0
W
10
S
5
NW
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-on
off
glassy
cross-off
cross
glassy
cross-off
glassy
cross
cross-off
High Tide
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
6:07AM0.93m
6:43PM1.45m
Low Tide
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
11:47AM0.12m
1:11AM0.20m
thunderstorm
clear
clear
part cloud
thunderstorm
part cloud
rain showers
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
mod rain
rain showers
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
rain showers
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:13
6:15
6:16
6:16
6:16
6:18
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:21
8:20
8:20
8:19
8:17
8:17
8:16
 mm
4
1
1
3
6
13
7
2
5
5
3
11
2
5
1
Temp °C
28
30
30
28
29
30
28
30
30
26
26
27
27
25
26
25
25
27
27
Feels °C
30
30
29
28
29
29
29
30
29
30
29
31
30
29
31
29
29
31
31
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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