Surf Forecasts:
Pelican Watch surf forecast from 22 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 23 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 5s period, SSW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 28 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 6s period, S swell with 66 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 23 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 5s period with SSW 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 Sunday (Aug 23) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 5s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Pelican Watch in the next 16 days are 1.0m 6s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) 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 1.4m 6s period and expected on Friday (Aug 28) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 5s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 5s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pelican Watch over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch coming up for Pelican Watch. We've got a long, quiet run with hardly anything that'll get your heart racing. The first real chance you'll want to paddle out doesn't come until Monday, August 31st.
The whole week before that is a write-off for any decent surf. We're talking days of tiny, weak energy – the combined swell energy is sitting in the 20s and 30s (weak). The swell heights are barely a ripple, mostly 0.7 ft to 1 ft. You’ll see a short pulse of 2 ft on Sunday the 23rd, but that’s a windswell with a period of just 6 seconds – weak and bumpy. Not worth the wax.
Now, from Monday, August 31st, things start to look a little more interesting. The morning shows a pulse of 1 ft swell coming from the SE with a very long period of 19 seconds. It's small but that long period gives it some class, and the combined energy finally bumps up to 85 (moderate). The wind is a light, cross-offshore breeze from the SW, so the surface should be clean. It's not a bomb, but after that flat spell, it's the closest to something rideable we've seen.
The standout window is shaping up to be Tuesday, September 1st and Wednesday, September 2nd in the mornings. We're looking at 2 ft to 2 ft SE swell, periods of 15 and 12 seconds respectively, pushing the combined energy into the 140s (moderate). The morning wind is light and offshore – WSW on Tuesday and S on Wednesday, keeping the surface glassy and clean. For a break that's exposed to the SE, this is about as good as the forecast gets. It's small, clean, and the long period will mean a bit of shape on the face.
Just remember, the crowds here are listed as “often,” so the crew will be out for these little windows. And the combined energy is still only moderate, so don't expect anything with much grunt. Come Thursday, September 3rd, the energy starts to drop back into the weak zone, and by Friday we're back to square one with poor surf right through to the end of the outlook on the 6th.
So, to sum it up: kiss the first week goodbye. The best bet is a clean, tiny but rideable surf on the mornings of the 1st and 2nd of September. Set your alarm and get out there early.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 32mm), heaviest during Sat morning. Warm (max 32°C on Mon afternoon, min 25°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Thu night. Warm (max 30°C on Thu afternoon, min 25°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | |||||||||||||||
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 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 13 | S 6 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 16 | 17 | 17 | 22 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 22 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 44 | 60 | 30 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross |
High Tide | 4:35PM1.36m | 4:45AM0.96m | 5:28PM1.40m | 5:38AM1.01m | 6:14PM1.45m | 6:24AM1.09m | 6:55PM1.50m | 7:06AM1.17m | 7:32PM1.54m | 7:45AM1.26m | 8:08PM1.56m | 8:23AM1.34m | 8:43PM1.55m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:31AM0.26m | 11:06PM0.34m | 10:29AM0.23m | 11:54PM0.30m | 11:22AM0.19m | 00:36AM0.26m | 12:10PM0.15m | 1:12AM0.20m | 12:54PM0.10m | 1:46AM0.15m | 1:36PM0.07m | 2:18AM0.10m | 2:16PM0.05m | 2:50AM0.06m | |||||||
 | |  | |  | |  |  |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — |
 | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:49 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:44 | — | — | 7:43 | — |
mm | 13 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | 3 | 1 | — | 6 | 2 | 3 | 22 |
Temp °C | 27 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 32 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 27 |
Feels °C | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | S 6 | ESE 8 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | S 5 | S 5 | SE 10 | S 5 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | S 6 | ESE 8 | S 6 |
| kJ | 16 | 15 | 14 | 22 | 7 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 30 | 20 | 21 | 28 | 29 | 22 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 44 | 28 | 30 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 14 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 8 | ESE 12 | ESE 8 | SE 7 | ESE 9 | E 7 | SE 11 | SE 10 | E 7 | SE 9 | E 16 | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 12 | ESE 9 | E 11 | ESE 8 |
| kJ | 7 | 17 | 17 | 7 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 29 | 28 | 1 | 22 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 30 | 2 | 27 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 7 | E 8 | ESE 12 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | — | E 7 | E 7 | — | — | E 6 | E 14 | E 14 | E 13 | — | E 12 | — | E 11 |
| kJ | — | 1 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | 3 | — | 2 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 4 | S 4 | SSW 5 | — | SSW 5 | S 5 | SSW 5 | SSW 5 | SSW 5 | SW 5 | SSW 6 | SSW 5 | — | S 5 | S 5 | S 5 | SSW 5 | SSW 6 | — | S 6 | — |
| kJ | 12 | 13 | 22 | — | 28 | 19 | 28 | 39 | 61 | 51 | 40 | 47 | — | 29 | 25 | 29 | 40 | 80 | — | 60 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1732 | 282 | 22 | 54 | 757 | 282 | 82 | 102 | 119 | 253 | 99 | 22 | 0 | 1117 | 298 | 298 | 966 | 3 | 54 | 489 | 140 |
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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