Surf Forecasts:
Pelican Watch surf forecast from 16 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 9s period, SE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 11s period, ESE swell with 79 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 18 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 9s 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 (Aug 18) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 5s. 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 0.6m 11s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Monday (Aug 17) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pelican Watch over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here again, looking at Pelican Watch over the next couple weeks... and it's a flat spell. You’ll be staring at a mirror more than a wave. There's no real juice in the tank at all. The whole 16 days is a battle of small, weak surf.
We start on Sunday, August 16th, with a pathetic 1ft SE windswell. The combined energy is a measly 21 – barely a ripple. And the wind is onshore out of the East at 9 mph, killing any hope. Water's 82°, which is about normal for the season.
Monday the 17th bumps to 2ft from the SSE, but the wind is still a pain. Tuesday the 18th gives us a weird one: a 1ft SE swell with a long period of 12 seconds from a groundswell, giving us a combined energy of 65. Still small, but that longer period might give a few cleaner lines if the slight cross-onshore plays fair. It's a reach.
We get a moment on Tuesday, August 26th. A 2ft swell from the SE with a very long period of 15 seconds. That pushes the combined energy to 130. The morning has a light cross-offshore breeze, so conditions will be glassy. But the size is still tiny – a long-period groundswell on a beach break can be tricky and close out. It's the best of a bad lot.
The end of the run on the 30th and 31st of August actually sees swell size come up a bit, hitting 5ft from the ENE on the 30th. But the wind is a horrible, fresh cross-onshore at 19-22 mph. The wave energy jumps to 188, but with that wind, you’re better off rigging a kite than paddling a surfboard. It’s lumpy, choppy, and ugly.
Truth is, for surfers, this is a period to take a break. The ocean just isn't playing ball.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Mon night. Warm (max 33°C on Mon afternoon, min 25°C on Tue night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Fri morning. Warm (max 32°C on Thu afternoon, min 26°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 12 | ESE 11 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 5 | S 6 | S 5 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | S 5 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 11 | 24 | 21 | 39 | 21 | 22 | 35 | 79 | 48 | 42 | 40 | 30 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | on | on | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:04AM1.50m | 11:19PM1.37m | 11:53AM1.47m | 00:04AM1.23m | 12:43PM1.42m | 00:51AM1.11m | 1:37PM1.38m | 1:43AM1.01m | 2:35PM1.35m | 2:42AM0.95m | 3:36PM1.34m | 3:45AM0.93m | 4:35PM1.36m | 4:45AM0.96m | |||||||
Low Tide | 5:08PM0.06m | 5:21AM0.02m | 6:00PM0.15m | 6:03AM0.09m | 6:57PM0.24m | 6:47AM0.16m | 7:58PM0.31m | 7:36AM0.22m | 9:04PM0.36m | 8:31AM0.25m | 10:09PM0.37m | 9:31AM0.26m | 11:06PM0.34m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | |  | | | | | | | |
 | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — |
 | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:50 | — |
mm | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 14 | — | — | 7 | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
Temp °C | 28 | 29 | 28 | 31 | 33 | 29 | 31 | 32 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 32 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 28 |
Feels °C | 31 | 32 | 32 | 34 | 34 | 30 | 36 | 35 | 33 | 29 | 34 | 34 | 35 | 34 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 5 | ESE 11 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | S 5 | S 5 | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 5 | S 6 | S 5 | SSE 6 | SSE 5 | ESE 8 |
| kJ | 11 | 24 | 21 | 39 | 21 | 22 | 11 | 79 | 48 | 42 | 40 | 22 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 13 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 4 | S 4 | ENE 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 6 | SE 9 | ESE 8 | SSW 5 | — | — | ESE 9 | SE 8 | E 6 | E 6 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 14 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | E 4 |
| kJ | 4 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 25 | 17 | — | — | 30 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 16 | 15 | 3 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 4 | E 6 | — | — | — | SE 13 | SE 12 | — | — | — | — | — | E 7 | — | — | E 15 | SE 15 | SW 5 | SE 14 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 |
| kJ | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 7 | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 4 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 17 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 3 | E 4 | S 3 | — | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | — | S 4 | — | S 5 | S 4 | — | SW 5 | S 5 | SSW 5 | — | SSW 5 | E 3 | ENE 4 | E 4 | S 5 |
| kJ | 4 | 4 | 5 | — | 16 | 29 | — | 15 | — | 10 | 14 | — | 11 | 17 | 44 | — | 5 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 18 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 575 | 1231 | 1729 | 489 | 708 | 3 | 16 | 359 | 0 | 142 | 278 | 0 | 99 | 837 | 82 | 1580 | 1670 | 54 | 54 | 0 | 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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