Surf Forecasts:
Pelican Watch surf forecast from 30 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 12s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 11s period, SE swell with 172 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 1 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 12s 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 (Sep 01) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 7s. 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 0.9m 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) 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 1.0m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Sep 05) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Tue 1st Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Tue 1st Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pelican Watch over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty. Let's be real about what we're looking at for Pelican Watch over the next couple of weeks.
Honestly, it’s a tough stretch. We’re looking at a long, dry spell of tiny, weak surf and onshore winds. The wait for anything even remotely rideable is a real test of patience. There’s a gap of several days of nothing. The water temp is sitting right around 82°, which is pretty much average for this time of year, so at least the water is warm while you’re sitting there waiting.
The first real glimmer of hope comes on Wednesday morning, September 2nd. We’ve got a bit of a pulse from the SE pushing in at 3ft, and the period stretches out to a decent 10 seconds. The combined energy of all swells directed here is moderate (151). The wind is light and cross-off from the SSW, which should keep the surface clean. It’s not a standout for the history books, but after the flat spell, it’s the best on offer. The waves will be small and gutless, but at least you can get wet.
The morning of Thursday, September 3rd, is similar in vibe – a tiny 2ft from the ESE with clean cross-off winds, but the energy is weak (54). For the rest of the outlook, it’s a repeating pattern of onshore winds and flat, choppy conditions. The swell is too small and the wind is never really on our side. It’s a period where you’d be better off cleaning the wax off your board than trying to paddle out.
For the second week, from the 4th of September onwards, the models are pretty grim. A few systems try to push in, but they’re all accompanied by fresh onshore wind, making for messy, blown-out junk. The combined energy drops to very low values (7 to 20), confirming it’s just not worth it. There’s a brief moment on the morning of Thursday, September 10th, with a 3ft pulse from the SSW, but it’s a short period (6 seconds) and cross-on, so the quality will be poor. It’s not a call to action.
So, to sum it up: keep your expectations low. Wednesday morning, September 2nd, is your best bet for a clean, tiny wave. After that, it’s a waiting game. The setups here look more interesting for a kite than a paddle for the vast majority of this period.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Warm (max 29°C on Tue afternoon, min 25°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 30°C on Thu afternoon, min 26°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | |||||||||||||||
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 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | S 5 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 26 | 35 | 33 | 40 | 37 | 36 | 35 | 35 | 153 | 151 | 100 | 86 | 54 | 52 | 34 | 26 | 17 | 17 | 6 | 6 | 43 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on |
High Tide | 9:40AM1.49m | 9:56PM1.46m | 10:22AM1.55m | 10:36PM1.39m | 11:07AM1.58m | 11:19PM1.30m | 11:57AM1.60m | 00:09AM1.21m | 12:55PM1.60m | 1:06AM1.14m | 2:00PM1.60m | 2:13AM1.10m | 3:10PM1.61m | 3:27AM1.12m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:41PM0.05m | 3:57AM0.03m | 4:27PM0.08m | 4:34AM0.03m | 5:18PM0.13m | 5:16AM0.04m | 6:14PM0.18m | 6:05AM0.06m | 7:17PM0.23m | 7:02AM0.09m | 8:28PM0.26m | 8:08AM0.10m | 9:41PM0.25m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | |
 | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — |
 | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:38 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:36 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:32 | — | — | 7:31 | — |
mm | 5 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 |
Temp °C | 27 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 27 | 29 | 31 | 27 |
Feels °C | 30 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 32 | 31 | 29 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ENE 4 |
| kJ | 26 | 35 | 33 | 40 | 37 | 36 | 35 | 35 | 153 | 151 | 100 | 86 | 54 | 52 | 34 | 26 | 17 | 17 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 4 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | — | E 9 | SE 14 | SE 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 7 |
| kJ | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | 8 | 27 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 7 | — | — | — | — | E 10 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 3 | SSW 3 | SSW 3 | SSW 3 | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | SSW 5 | SSW 5 | SSW 5 | S 5 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 28 | 33 | 20 | 33 | 43 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 304 | 2037 | 282 | 278 | 721 | 700 | 253 | 1155 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 302 | 278 | 489 | 569 | 54 | 54 | 562 | 82 |
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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