Surf Forecasts:
Pelican Watch surf forecast from 24 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 30 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 7s period, SSW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 30 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 7s period, SSW swell with 219 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 24 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 8s 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 Friday (Jul 24) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 5s. 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 1.6m 7s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 30) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 29) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pelican Watch over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, lookin' at the charts for the Pelican Watch zone. Gotta be straight with ya – it's a quiet stretch ahead, I won't sugarcoat it.
Right now, we're lookin' at a proper flat spell, no two ways about it. For the next week and a bit, from Thursday the 23rd of July, right through to almost the end of the month, the swell's barely gonna tickle the sand. You're looking at tiny 1ft to 2ft slop, mostly out of the SE or ESE with a short, weak period of 6 to 8 seconds. The wave energy's pitiful – we're talking readings in the teens and twenties for the most part, with a few days barely pushing past 50. Combine that with onshore or cross-shore breezes most days, and frankly, it's just not worth paddling out for a surf. The water temp's sittin' at 85°, which is about 2° warmer than normal for this time of year – feels nice for a dip, but not for waves.
Now, there is a little flicker of hope way out there. On Sunday, August 2nd, we finally see the swell tick up a notch. By the afternoon, we're lookin' at a 4ft swell from the SSE, with a period bumpin' up to 8 seconds. You'll feel some energy coming through then – the combined energy hits 138, which is at least moderate. The wind's lookin' alright too, with a clean cross-off breeze from the SW at 12 mph. It's not gonna be perfect, but after all that flatness, it'll feel like a godsend. Then on Monday, August 3rd, the morning glass-off is real tempting – zero wind, a glassy surface, and 3ft of swell. It's still a short period of 7 seconds, so it won't have any punch, but you'll be able to snag a few fun little waves on a longboard if you're keen.
So, bottom line: there's a solid 8 or 9 days of nothin' much to write home about. The only real standout window is that Sunday, August 2nd and Monday, August 3rd combo. It's not gonna be epic, but it'll be the best look we've got. Pelican Watch (USA) is a beginner-friendly break anyway, and this swell is small enough for 'em, but just be aware that spot can get crowded, especially after a flat spell. It won't be one for the experts, but for a paddle and a few cruisy waves, it'll scratch the itch.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 55mm), heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 28°C on Thu afternoon, min 23°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Warm (max 31°C on Wed morning, min 25°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | ||||||||||||||
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 8 | S 5 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 31 | 21 | 44 | 50 | 46 | 37 | 37 | 34 | 35 | 43 | 40 | 29 | 22 | 19 | 26 | 26 | 21 | 16 | 39 | 38 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:16PM1.35m | 4:22AM0.91m | 5:09PM1.37m | 5:17AM0.91m | 5:58PM1.41m | 6:07AM0.93m | 6:43PM1.45m | 6:52AM0.98m | 7:24PM1.49m | 7:34AM1.02m | 8:03PM1.52m | 8:14AM1.08m | 8:39PM1.53m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:45PM0.28m | 10:07AM0.16m | 11:40PM0.26m | 10:58AM0.15m | 00:28AM0.23m | 11:47AM0.12m | 1:11AM0.20m | 12:33PM0.09m | 1:49AM0.16m | 1:16PM0.06m | 2:25AM0.12m | 1:57PM0.05m | 2:59AM0.09m | |||||||
 |  | |  | | | | |  |  | | | | | | |  | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — |
 | 8:19 | — | — | 8:17 | — | — | 8:17 | — | — | 8:16 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — |
mm | 6 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 5 |
Temp °C | 28 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 28 | 31 | 32 | 24 |
Feels °C | 30 | 31 | 30 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 32 | 33 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | S 4 | S 5 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SSW 6 |
| kJ | 31 | 16 | 44 | 50 | 46 | 37 | 14 | 13 | 35 | 43 | 40 | 29 | 22 | 19 | 26 | 26 | 12 | 16 | 39 | 33 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | S 5 | E 5 | E 4 | SSE 5 | E 6 | NE 7 | E 6 | NE 7 | ESE 8 | E 7 | E 9 | E 9 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 37 | 34 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 6 | — | SSW 5 | SW 4 | ENE 4 | — | SE 10 | — | — | NE 7 | — | — | E 8 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | — | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | 4 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 5 | S 5 | S 4 | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | SW 4 | SSW 4 | NE 3 | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | — | — | S 3 | SSW 5 | SSW 5 | SSW 5 | SSW 6 | S 6 | SSW 6 | SE 7 |
| kJ | 26 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 7 | 20 | 23 | 2 | 7 | 7 | — | — | 7 | 28 | 24 | 70 | 136 | 71 | 62 | 38 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 22 | 243 | 3 | 288 | 54 | 22 | 0 | 129 | 129 | 605 | 253 | 253 | 837 | 567 | 538 | 527 | 489 | 59 | 282 | 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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