Pelican Watch Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.04° N 77.89° W

Issued: 1 pm 03 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Pelican Watch sea temperature is
27.5° C

Normal for this time of year

Pelican Watch surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Pelican Watch surf forecast from 3 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 10 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 7s period, SSW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 10 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 7s period, SSW swell with 362 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 4 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 9s period with ESE 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 Saturday (Jul 04) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 9s period. 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 1.9m 7s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 10) 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 Thursday (Jul 09) at 5PM.

Wave TypeTime (EDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8AM (Sat 4th Jul)2ft (0.6m) 9s
Best Surf 8AM (Fri 10th Jul)5ft (1.5m) 7s
Most Powerful 8PM (Fri 10th Jul)6ft (1.9m) 7s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pelican Watch over the next 16 days.


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve been staring at the charts for Pelican Watch and, honestly, it’s a pretty bleak run for the next couple of weeks. There’s no proper swell on the horizon, just a whole lot of weak, short-period slop that’s going to leave you staring at a flat lake most days. We’re looking at a real dry spell.

Right off the bat, from Friday the 3rd of July through to Thursday the 9th, it’s pretty much a write-off. There’s barely any energy in the water – the combined swell energy is stuck under 100 (weak) for days, with swell heights mostly between 2 ft and 2 ft. The odd bit of clean wind won’t save it; the waves are just too small and weak to bother with. Thursday the 9th morning shows a tiny bump with offshore wind, but the energy’s still weak (82) and the waves are described as ordinary. You’d be better off staying in bed.

Finally, on Friday the 10th of July morning, we get a bit of a pulse. It’s the only real standout across the whole 16 days. Swell bumps up to 5 ft from the SSW, with a period of 7 seconds – still short-period windswell, but the combined energy ticks up to 281 (moderate). The wind is offshore from the W at 12 mph, so the wave face should be clean and lined up. The water temperature is about 82° with a slight anomaly of -0.4°, which is perfectly normal for this time of year. That Friday morning session is the pick, but it’s a brief window. After that morning, the wind swings back onshore for the afternoon, and the conditions go marginal.

After that, it’s back to the grind. Saturday the 11th through to Saturday the 18th of July is a long slog of cross-off winds, moderate breezes, and very small surf. There’s a brief flash on Monday the 13th morning with clean offshore wind and a 4 ft swell from the SSW (moderate energy of 268), but the quality ratings are all poor or ordinary. The same goes for Wednesday the 15th, where we see the biggest swell of the period at 5 ft to 6 ft from the S, but the wind is fresh and cross-off, making it choppy and unappealing. Combined energy hits a peak of 327 (moderate) that afternoon, but the forecast says poor surf conditions.

Overall, if you’re desperate, Friday morning the 10th of July is your only real shot at a clean, rideable wave at Pelican Watch. Everything else is either flat, messy, or both. For a break that’s fairly consistent, this is a disappointing stretch, but forecasts can always change. Hang in there.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Warm (max 30°C on Sat afternoon, min 25°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 101mm), heaviest during Wed night. Warm (max 33°C on Tue afternoon, min 23°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Tue afternoon, light winds from the NW by Wed afternoon).

Fri
3
Saturday
4
Sunday
5
Monday
6
Tuesday
7
Wednesday
8
Thursday
9
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
SE
9
0.4
ESE
9
0.5
ESE
9
0.4
ESE
9
0.4
ESE
8
0.4
ESE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.9
SSE
6
1
S
6
0.4
SE
10
1.2
SSW
6
0.4
SE
9
0.4
SE
9
0.4
SE
9
0.4
ESE
9
0.5
SE
9
0.9
SSW
6
0.4
SE
8
1.5
SSW
7
1.4
SSW
7
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
25
32
46
30
28
26
17
17
52
59
23
112
22
21
21
32
41
62
18
200
173
Wind (km/h)
15
SSE
10
SW
5
S
20
S
15
SSW
15
S
20
S
20
SSW
25
SW
30
SSW
20
SW
20
WSW
30
SSW
25
WSW
10
WNW
25
S
10
SW
10
W
30
SW
20
WSW
20
W
Wind State
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
High Tide
10:52PM1.42m
11:19AM1.08m
11:30PM1.37m
12:03PM1.14m
00:11AM1.30m
12:52PM1.21m
00:57AM1.22m
1:45PM1.30m
1:49AM1.15m
2:43PM1.41m
2:48AM1.09m
3:44PM1.51m
3:50AM1.06m
Low Tide
4:16PM0.10m
5:15AM0.07m
5:01PM0.13m
5:50AM0.06m
5:50PM0.16m
6:28AM0.05m
6:46PM0.18m
7:09AM0.02m
7:48PM0.19m
7:56AM-0.00m
8:56PM0.18m
8:49AM-0.04m
10:06PM0.14m
9:46AM-0.08m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
clear
part cloud
thunderstorm
part cloud
part cloud
thunderstorm
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:05
6:05
6:05
6:05
6:07
6:07
6:07
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:25
8:25
8:25
8:25
8:25
8:24
8:24
8:24
 mm
4
4
2
16
75
4
3
4
Temp °C
28
27
29
30
27
29
29
28
30
31
29
31
33
29
30
29
26
29
32
29
30
Feels °C
29
29
32
31
29
31
30
29
30
30
29
31
32
29
32
33
28
32
33
29
31
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
ESE
7
0.4
ESE
9
0.5
ESE
9
0.4
ESE
9
0.4
ESE
8
0.4
ESE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.2
ESE
9
0.4
SE
9
0.4
SE
10
0.9
S
6
0.4
SE
9
0.4
SE
9
0.4
SE
9
0.4
ESE
9
0.5
SE
9
0.4
SE
9
0.4
SE
8
0.4
SE
9
1
S
7
Energy kJ
25
32
46
30
28
26
17
17
7
20
23
57
22
21
21
32
41
20
18
20
94
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
SE
9
0.4
ESE
6
0.2
S
3
0.1
S
6
0.4
SE
10
0.1
E
10
0.1
E
13
0.1
E
11
0.1
E
10
0.3
SE
10
Energy kJ
21
11
1
1
24
2
3
2
2
14
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
Energy kJ
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
SSW
2
0.4
SSW
3
0.4
SSW
3
0.3
S
4
0.6
S
4
0.9
SSE
6
1
S
6
0.9
SSW
5
1.2
SSW
6
1.1
SSW
6
1.4
SSW
6
0.9
SSW
6
1.1
SSW
5
1.3
SSW
6
0.9
SSW
6
1.6
SSW
6
1.5
SSW
7
1.4
SSW
7
Energy kJ
1
3
4
2
9
52
59
45
112
83
124
56
66
111
62
172
200
173
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
Distance (km)
821
304
465
742
282
1729
2540
565
1233
359
17
54
816
54
3
99
23
0
298
59
0
Best forecast wave conditions in North Carolina
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
Best forecast wave conditions in United States
Rating
(10 max)
3
2
2
2
1
2
1
2
3
2
2
3
2
2
3
2
2
4
3
2
4
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
7
5
6
5
9
7
5
6
8
7
4
5
9
8
9
6
5
5
8
5
8
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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