Surf Forecasts:
Pelican Watch surf forecast from 15 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 9s period, SE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 11s period, SE swell with 75 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 18 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 9s 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 Tuesday (Aug 18) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 5s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Pelican Watch in the next 16 days are 0.6m 11s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 5PM. 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 Friday (Aug 21) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 11AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 11s |
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 on the cards for the next couple of weeks at Pelican Watch. I gotta be straight with you – it’s a flat spell and honestly, for a good long while, there’s just nothing doing. We’re looking at a big gap of days where the surf is flat to tiny and messy, with the first real chance of a wave not showing up until Tuesday the 18th of August. Don’t get your hopes up, though.
The overall pattern is one of very small swell. For the first few days, we’re talking ankle-snappers at best. Saturday the 15th, we’ve got a super weak 0.7ft ESE windswell with an 8-second period – barely a ripple. The combined energy is just a paltry 15, and with morning glass you might see a tiny wobble, but it’s a no-go. That theme sticks around until Monday the 17th, with onshore winds making it even more of a write-off.
Now, Tuesday the 18th is where we get a little pulse. The morning shows 1.3ft from the SE with a period stretching out to 9 seconds. The combined energy ticks up to 56 (weak, but the best we’ll see for a while). The key here is the wind: glassy from the ENE. This is the standout moment. That light, clean morning window on the 18th will give you the best look at what’s on offer – small, clean, workable longboard waves. Beginners could handle it easy. But it’s tiny, so don’t drive too far.
After that morning, it fades back into the ordinary. The afternoon on the 18th gets a little more size at 2ft and a longer 11-second period, but the wind goes cross-onshore and it gets messy. From there, we slide through a bunch of days with similar tiny surf – 1.3ft to 2.3ft, periods jumping around from 5 to 12 seconds, signal energy mostly in the weak 20–60 range. There’s no real build-up or quality. The wind is often cross-offshore or clean, but the swell just isn’t there to make it worthwhile.
In the second week, the story doesn’t change. We get a few mornings with glassy or offshore winds – like the 23rd and 26th of August – but they’re on tiny, weak swell. There’s a bit more energy on the 27th and 28th, with combined energy climbing to 69 and 84 (still moderate), but the wind is onshore and choppy, so it’s not surfable. Through to the end of the month, it’s just small, onshore slop.
So, the only true standout is that Tuesday the 18th of August morning. For a beginner on a foamy or a longboard gliding on tiny waves, it’s your best shot. For anyone else, it’s a waiting game. The water temp is sitting at a warm 82.2°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year.
Stay tuned – forecasts can change, and it never stays this flat forever.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Warm (max 33°C on Mon afternoon, min 26°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Tue night. Warm (max 32°C on Thu morning, min 24°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | |||||||||||||||
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 4 | ESE 8 | S 5 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | S 5 | ESE 8 | S 5 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
7 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 24 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 27 | 75 | 48 | 42 | 40 | 23 | 18 | 17 | 13 | 25 | 14 | 24 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-off | off | on | cross | off | cross-off | cross-off | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-on |
High Tide | 10:16AM1.51m | 10:35PM1.51m | 11:04AM1.50m | 11:19PM1.37m | 11:53AM1.47m | 00:04AM1.23m | 12:43PM1.42m | 00:51AM1.11m | 1:37PM1.38m | 1:43AM1.01m | 2:35PM1.35m | 2:42AM0.95m | 3:36PM1.34m | 3:45AM0.93m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:16PM-0.03m | 4:40AM-0.04m | 5:08PM0.06m | 5:21AM0.02m | 6:00PM0.15m | 6:03AM0.09m | 6:57PM0.24m | 6:47AM0.16m | 7:58PM0.31m | 7:36AM0.22m | 9:04PM0.36m | 8:31AM0.25m | 10:09PM0.37m | ||||||||
6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | |
— | 7:58 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | |
mm | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | — | 3 | — | 1 | 7 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 4 |
Temp °C | 32 | 32 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 33 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 29 | 31 | 29 | 32 | 32 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 29 |
Feels °C | 36 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 32 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 36 | 36 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 33 | 28 | 32 | 32 | 33 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 4 | ESE 8 | S 5 | S 5 | ENE 4 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SSW 5 | SE 11 | SE 10 | S 5 | SE 9 | SSE 5 | S 5 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 |
6 | 7 | 11 | 7 | 6 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 7 | 75 | 48 | 11 | 40 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 16 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | — | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | E 5 | SSW 5 | E 6 | E 7 | SE 9 | E 6 | S 5 | SE 9 | E 6 | SE 9 | SE 8 | E 7 | E 6 | E 6 | SE 15 | SE 14 |
7 | — | 6 | 11 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 27 | 3 | 11 | 42 | 1 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | — | E 10 | ENE 4 | SSW 5 | — | E 5 | — | SE 13 | SE 12 | — | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | — | — | E 15 | SE 15 | SE 14 |
2 | — | 2 | 1 | 4 | — | 4 | — | 7 | 22 | — | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 8 | 8 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 4 | SSW 5 | — | — | SSW 4 | — | SSW 4 | SSW 5 | SW 5 | S 4 | — | — | S 5 | S 5 | — | S 5 | SSW 5 | S 5 | S 5 | S 5 |
— | 15 | 24 | — | — | 9 | — | 11 | 20 | 17 | 10 | — | — | 11 | 23 | — | 27 | 36 | 25 | 25 | 24 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 821 | 2540 | 519 | 575 | 2336 | 456 | 489 | 642 | 23 | 0 | 278 | 0 | 519 | 575 | 465 | 812 | 282 | 54 | 54 | 1707 | 54 |
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)
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.











