Surf Forecasts:
Pelican Watch surf forecast from 2 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 9s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 3 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 9s period, SE swell with 103 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 3 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 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 Thursday (Sep 03) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 3s. 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 0.8m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 03) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 4s period and expected on Saturday (Sep 05) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pelican Watch over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, let’s look at what’s on offer for Pelican Watch.
To be straight with you, the next couple of weeks are looking pretty quiet. There’s a long stretch with hardly anything worth paddling out for. The first time we see anything surfable at all is on Tuesday the 15th of September, and even then it’s only just barely. From now until then, it’s a real flat spell with weak, messy, or onshore conditions. The wait is nearly two weeks for anything that’s not a total write-off.
The water temp is sitting right where it should be for this time of year, about 82°, so no surprises there.
The only session that catches my eye is the early morning of Tuesday the 15th. We’ve got a clean, glassy start with a light offshore wind from the SW. The swell is tiny, only 1 ft, coming from the ESE with a short period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is weak at 52, so it’s not going to be powerful, but it’ll be clean. For a beginner-friendly break like Pelican Watch, this is about as good as it gets in this flat spell. The wind is light and cross-off, so the surface will be smooth, making it a nice little session for a longboard or a foamie. Crowds are often here, but with conditions this small, it might not be too busy.
Later that same afternoon, it gets a bit breezier with a risk of thunderstorms, and the surf is still tiny, so it’s not worth sticking around for.
The next half-decent look comes on Thursday the 17th of September. Early morning it’s glassy with a light NNW breeze, and the swell bumps up a touch to 3 ft from the ENE. The period is still short at 6 seconds, so it’s a bit weak and crumbly, but the combined energy is 79—still weak, but the best of the whole run. The glassy conditions mean it’ll look clean and inviting. Again, it’s not a standout by any stretch, but if you’re desperate, Thursday morning is the pick.
Overall, there’s no standout swell here. The best we can say is that Tuesday the 15th morning and Thursday the 17th morning offer the cleanest conditions for a paddle on the smallest of waves. Don’t expect any power or size. It’s a real patience test.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 30°C on Wed afternoon, min 25°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Sat night. Warm (max 32°C on Sat afternoon, min 23°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | ||||||||||||||
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 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | S 5 | SE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 5 | E 5 | E 5 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | SE 6 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 100 | 103 | 65 | 53 | 34 | 26 | 26 | 17 | 12 | 11 | 16 | 34 | 32 | 62 | 59 | 85 | 84 | 64 | 41 | 33 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 00:09AM1.21m | 12:55PM1.60m | 1:06AM1.14m | 2:00PM1.60m | 2:13AM1.10m | 3:10PM1.61m | 3:27AM1.12m | 4:20PM1.64m | 4:38AM1.18m | 5:23PM1.68m | 5:42AM1.29m | 6:19PM1.70m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:14PM0.18m | 6:05AM0.06m | 7:17PM0.23m | 7:02AM0.09m | 8:28PM0.26m | 8:08AM0.10m | 9:41PM0.25m | 9:21AM0.09m | 10:47PM0.21m | 10:32AM0.05m | 11:44PM0.14m | 11:37AM0.00m | 00:35AM0.08m | |||||||
 |  | | | | | | | | |  | |  |  | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — |
 | 7:36 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:32 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — | — | 7:28 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 30 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 27 | 29 | 32 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 26 |
Feels °C | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 32 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 33 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 27 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 7 | — | SE 9 | S 5 | S 5 | — | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | SE 6 |
| kJ | 100 | 103 | 65 | 53 | 34 | 26 | 26 | 17 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 1 | — | 21 | 4 | 2 | — | 64 | 41 | 33 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | E 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 5 | E 7 | SE 9 | — | — | — | SSW 5 | — | — | E 10 | SE 8 | E 9 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 7 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | 8 | 15 | 7 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 7 | SE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 8 | E 10 | SE 10 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 8 | 4 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 3 | — | S 2 | SSW 3 | — | S 3 | SSW 4 | SSW 5 | SSW 4 | S 5 | SE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 5 | E 5 | E 5 | ESE 6 | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | 1 | — | 1 | 3 | — | 8 | 9 | 13 | 25 | 16 | 34 | 32 | 62 | 59 | 85 | 84 | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 290 | 0 | 140 | 304 | 278 | 489 | 708 | 304 | 1803 | 2162 | 812 | 138 | 837 | 569 | 621 | 575 | 23 | 140 | 263 | 519 |
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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