Surf Forecasts:
Pelican Watch surf forecast from 3 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 9 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 6s period, SSW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 10 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 7s period, SSW swell with 365 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 3 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 7s period with ESE 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 03) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. 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 1.9m 7s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 10) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be 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 Tuesday (Jul 07) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Fri 3rd Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Thu 9th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Fri 10th Jul) | 6ft (1.9m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pelican Watch over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Right then, let's have a look at what's on the cards for Pelican Watch over the next couple of weeks. To be honest, it's a pretty quiet outlook for a while. Pelican Watch is a beginner-friendly spot, exposed to the open ocean, so it *can* handle a bit of energy, but the next week and a half is looking mostly small and messy.
Water temp is sitting at 82°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so it's fine.
The first sniff of anything worth paddling out for doesn't hit until the morning of Friday the 10th. We get a bump in swell to 5ft from the SSW, and the wind shifts offshore from the WSW. The combined energy climbs to a moderate 264, and the conditions are looking clean. That swell is a short-period windswell at 7 seconds though, so it won't be groundswell quality. Saturday the 11th morning is similar, with another 5ft of SSW windswell and a clean, gentle offshore from the WNW. That's the best of the run, but it's still pretty average.
Later in the second week, the morning of Wednesday the 15th offers nothing. The next bit of size pops up Thursday the 16th morning, with a 7ft swell from the SW, but it's blowing a light cross-onshore and the combined energy hits a very strong 602. That's a fair bit of power for a spot that's best for beginners, and the period is short at 7 seconds, so it'll be lumpy and not much fun for a paddle. That size is really only for experienced surfers who know the break.
There are long gaps here. Basically, from now until the 10th, you're looking at tiny waves (1ft to 2ft) and onshore or cross-shore winds. The 9th of July morning is "surfable but ordinary" with a 3ft SSW swell. It's not good.
Honestly, if you're desperate for a paddle, the morning of the 10th and 11th are your only real options, and even then they're nothing to write home about. The rest of the period is flat, windy, or just too messy to bother with. Keep an eye on the forecasts, as it can turn around.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 30°C on Sat afternoon, min 24°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 23mm), heaviest during Tue night. Warm (max 33°C on Wed afternoon, min 25°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Tue night, light winds from the WSW by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 3 | Saturday 4 | Sunday 5 | Monday 6 | Tuesday 7 | Wednesday 8 | Thursday 9 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 7 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 5 | S 5 | SE 10 | S 6 | SE 9 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SE 9 | S 6 | S 6 | SE 8 | SSW 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 54 | 22 | 47 | 46 | 30 | 28 | 26 | 17 | 17 | 43 | 51 | 23 | 76 | 22 | 182 | 101 | 21 | 74 | 62 | 18 | 365 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 10:37AM1.05m | 10:52PM1.42m | 11:19AM1.08m | 11:30PM1.37m | 12:03PM1.14m | 00:11AM1.30m | 12:52PM1.21m | 00:57AM1.22m | 1:45PM1.30m | 1:49AM1.15m | 2:43PM1.41m | 2:48AM1.09m | 3:44PM1.51m | 3:50AM1.06m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:16PM0.10m | 5:15AM0.07m | 5:01PM0.13m | 5:50AM0.06m | 5:50PM0.16m | 6:28AM0.05m | 6:46PM0.18m | 7:09AM0.02m | 7:48PM0.19m | 7:56AM-0.00m | 8:56PM0.18m | 8:49AM-0.04m | 10:06PM0.14m | ||||||||
 | |  | | | | | |  |  | |  | |  | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — |
 | — | 8:25 | — | — | 8:25 | — | — | 8:25 | — | — | 8:25 | — | — | 8:25 | — | — | 8:24 | — | — | 8:24 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 4 | — | 1 | — | — | 17 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 27 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 31 | 32 | 27 | 31 | 33 | 27 | 30 | 31 | 28 |
Feels °C | 29 | 29 | 28 | 32 | 31 | 29 | 31 | 29 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 32 | 33 | 28 | 32 | 31 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 7 | E 7 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 10 |
| kJ | 54 | 22 | 47 | 46 | 30 | 28 | 26 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 38 | 18 | 24 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | SE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 10 | E 10 | — | — | E 12 | E 11 | ESE 10 |
| kJ | 22 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | 3 | 2 | 37 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSW 2 | — | SSW 3 | SSW 3 | S 3 | S 3 | S 4 | S 5 | S 5 | S 5 | S 6 | S 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 5 | S 6 | S 6 | SSW 5 | SSW 7 |
| kJ | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 43 | 51 | 59 | 76 | 74 | 182 | 101 | 106 | 74 | 62 | 121 | 365 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 110 | 966 | 304 | 465 | 1670 | 1729 | 1709 | 1837 | 358 | 1233 | 1237 | 532 | 99 | 552 | 304 | 19 | 142 | 54 | 0 | 973 | 0 |
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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