Surf Forecasts:
Pelican Watch surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 7s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 7s period, SSW swell with 277 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 7s 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 Monday (Jul 20) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 1.2m and 7s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 8s is also forecast. 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 1.7m 7s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pelican Watch over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what's on the table for the next couple of weeks.
Honestly, I'm looking at a pretty bleak stretch. For the next eleven days, the waves are just not there. We’re looking at a whole lot of flat to tiny, wind-affected junk. You’ll be sitting on your board watching the ripples. There’s a run from Friday the 17th right through to the afternoon of Monday the 27th of July where the score is a flat zero. A solid week and a half of 'poor surf conditions' – mostly small, messy, and cross-off. It’s a write-off, plain and simple.
Then, things finally get a pulse. The only window worth paddling out for is on Tuesday the 28th of July. The morning at Pelican Watch is the standout. We’ve got a 4 ft swell rolling in from the south, with a period of 6 seconds. It’s short-period, but the wind is offshore from the WSW, which is a sweet offshore for this spot. It’ll be clean. The energy is moderate (216), so there’s some push behind it. It’s still a beginner break, and with an offshore wind, it’ll be lining up nicely for a learner session. Even the water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing weird there.
After that, it drops back off again into the ordinary stuff. The morning of the 28th is your one shot. After that, the forecast fades out to tiny, weak slop.
So, get out there on the morning of the 28th if you can, because the rest of the month is a complete snooze-fest.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 32°C on Fri afternoon, min 27°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WSW on Fri morning, fresh winds from the SSW by Sun afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 31mm), heaviest during Mon afternoon. Warm (max 29°C on Tue afternoon, min 25°C on Mon afternoon). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||
Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | ||||||||||||||
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 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 13 | S 7 | SSW 6 | SSW 7 | S 7 | ESE 8 | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | SSW 6 | SE 7 | SSW 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 6 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 179 | 225 | 247 | 91 | 6 | 76 | 71 | 83 | 190 | 119 | 18 | 220 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-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 | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:15PM1.71m | 10:41AM1.36m | 11:04PM1.59m | 11:36AM1.37m | 11:52PM1.44m | 12:31PM1.36m | 00:41AM1.29m | 1:26PM1.35m | 1:32AM1.14m | 2:23PM1.34m | 2:26AM1.03m | 3:20PM1.34m | 3:23AM0.94m | ||||||
Low Tide | 4:32AM-0.13m | 4:35PM-0.10m | 5:19AM-0.10m | 5:31PM-0.00m | 6:05AM-0.06m | 6:30PM0.10m | 6:50AM-0.00m | 7:31PM0.18m | 7:37AM0.06m | 8:36PM0.25m | 8:25AM0.11m | 9:42PM0.28m | |||||||
 | | |  | | | |  |  | | |  |  | | |  | | | | |
 | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — |
 | 8:22 | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:20 | — | — | 8:20 | — |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | 5 | 9 | 11 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 23 |
Temp °C | 29 | 31 | 32 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 |
Feels °C | 31 | 33 | 32 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | — | — | — | S 7 | S 7 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 8 |
| kJ | 6 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 6 | 6 | — | — | — | 143 | 91 | 6 | 9 | 14 | 20 | 23 | 20 | 18 | 22 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | — | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | — | E 13 | SE 8 | SE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | E 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 4 | SW 4 | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | S 4 | SSW 4 | SSW 6 | S 7 | SSW 6 | SSW 7 | — | SSW 6 | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 7 |
| kJ | 9 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 22 | 131 | 179 | 225 | 247 | — | 126 | 76 | 71 | 83 | 190 | 119 | 171 | 220 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1573 | 1580 | 1573 | 785 | 1580 | 575 | 357 | 352 | 641 | 0 | 243 | 559 | 219 | 575 | 576 | 519 | 352 | 321 | 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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