Surf Forecasts:
Pelican Watch surf forecast from 30 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 4 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 6s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 3 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 7s period, S swell with 202 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 4 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 6s period with S 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 (Aug 04) at 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 6s 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 1.5m 7s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 03) 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 0.9m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5PM (Tue 4th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Tue 4th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pelican Watch over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Pelican Watch over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – the first ten days or so are a real struggle. We’re kicking off Thursday the 30th with tiny 2 ft waves from the south, a weak 6-second period, and the combined energy is a measly 33. That’s weak. The wind is a messy cross-shore, and it’s just not doing anything for us. This flat spell drags on through Friday, the weekend, and into the start of next week. The swell stays small, under 3 ft, with short periods, and the wind is mostly cross or cross-onshore, chopping it right up. There’s a glimmer Monday morning the 3rd when the swell jumps to 5 ft from the SSE – the energy bumps up to 330 – and the wind is clean cross-off, but the forecast is for a risk of thunderstorms. It’s marked as marginal, and that’s being generous. The afternoon gets messy again. We’re looking at a long, dry spell of nothing.
Now, the real story starts to change around Saturday the 8th. That morning we see a 4 ft groundswell from the ESE swinging in with a solid 11-second period, and the energy is up at 291. The wind is clean cross-off from the SSW. It’s still a bit rough around the edges, but it’s finally surfable. Sunday the 9th is the one to circle on your calendar. Morning brings a beautiful 3 ft swell from the east, 11-second period, and the combined energy is 252. The wind is a near-perfect light cross-off, glassy, and the report says to expect good surf. That’s our standout. The waves will be clean, with a bit of push from the long period, making for some nice, lined-up waves. Monday the 10th morning is still looking solid with similar conditions.
If you’ve got some patience, the best of the whole run is on Sunday the 9th and Monday the 10th of August. The swell is a clean 3 ft from the east, period is a nice 11 seconds, and with that light, off-shore wind, it’ll be glassy. The energy is in the moderate sweet spot. For a beginner spot, this is about as good as it gets. It’s not too big, and it’ll be clean. Be aware that crowds are often an issue here, so get in early.
The rest of the second week, from Tuesday the 11th onward, the swell sticks around but the wind gets a bit sketchy, and by Thursday the 13th, it’s fading back to tiny, weak stuff. The Friday the 14th morning has a tiny 3 ft SSE swell with a useless 5-second period, but the wind is clean cross-off, so it’s a clean little ankle-biter for the longboard if you’re desperate.
So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. The second week has a solid couple of days on the 9th and 10th. That’s your window.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 30°C on Thu afternoon, min 23°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Sun afternoon. Warm (max 29°C on Sun afternoon, min 27°C on Sun morning). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 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) | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | SSE 7 | S 7 | S 6 | SE 6 | SSE 6 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | S 7 | SE 7 | SE 6 | S 6 | S 6 | SE 7 | SSE 7 | SE 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 31 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 49 | 28 | 11 | 19 | 25 | 39 | 120 | 176 | 157 | 173 | 39 | 27 | 31 | 40 | 23 | 34 | 32 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-off | on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross |
High Tide | 8:53AM1.12m | 9:14PM1.52m | 9:31AM1.18m | 9:49PM1.50m | 10:10AM1.23m | 10:24PM1.45m | 10:50AM1.29m | 11:02PM1.38m | 11:33AM1.34m | 11:43PM1.30m | 12:22PM1.40m | 00:29AM1.21m | 1:16PM1.46m | 1:22AM1.12m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:37PM0.04m | 3:32AM0.06m | 3:17PM0.05m | 4:03AM0.05m | 3:58PM0.07m | 4:36AM0.03m | 4:43PM0.09m | 5:10AM0.03m | 5:32PM0.13m | 5:48AM0.02m | 6:27PM0.17m | 6:32AM0.02m | 7:30PM0.20m | ||||||||
 | |  | | | | | | | |  |  | | | | | |  |  | |  | |
 | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — |
 | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:13 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:10 | — | — | 8:10 | — | — | 8:09 | — | — | 8:08 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 3 | 5 |
Temp °C | 28 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 27 |
Feels °C | 27 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 32 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | SSE 7 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 6 | SSE 6 | SE 7 | SE 7 | — | — | SSE 7 | S 7 | SE 7 | SE 6 | SE 7 | S 6 | SE 7 | — | SE 7 |
| kJ | 31 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 25 | 39 | — | — | 147 | 110 | 37 | 27 | 23 | 40 | 23 | — | 32 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | — | SE 10 | SSW 6 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SSW 6 | ESE 9 | SSE 6 | E 4 | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 6 | — | SE 7 | S 5 | — | — |
| kJ | 1 | — | 4 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | 12 | 8 | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SE 10 | — | ESE 10 | — | E 7 | ESE 9 | SE 7 | ESE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 12 | — |
| kJ | — | 4 | — | 9 | — | 1 | 8 | 2 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 3 | — | — | — | S 7 | S 6 | — | — | ESE 4 | — | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | S 7 | SSW 6 | — | S 6 | SW 5 | — | SSE 7 | — |
| kJ | 1 | — | — | — | 49 | 28 | — | — | 2 | — | 120 | 176 | 157 | 173 | 39 | — | 31 | 17 | — | 34 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 129 | 642 | 282 | 138 | 945 | 527 | 769 | 1573 | 727 | 532 | 541 | 524 | 364 | 352 | 489 | 575 | 0 | 532 | 1732 | 73 | 529 |
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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