Rodanthe Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Grab your board and let’s be straight with you—this stretch is flat as a tack for the most part. The next week and a half is going to be a grind, with barely a ripple worth paddling for. We’re looking at a long, quiet spell here at Rodanthe Pier, and I’m not going to sugarcoat it. You’ll be fighting more for exercise than waves. The water’s sitting at 80°, which is right where it should be for this time of year—nothing weird there, just your usual warm summer bath.

Come Friday morning, August 7th, we’ve got a clean little knee-high dribble—1ft of SE swell with a short 8-second period, and the energy is weak at 21. The wind’s a light cross-off from the SW, so it’ll look pretty, but there’s just nothing behind it. Friday afternoon stays the same story: 1ft, 8 seconds, and only 35 on the energy scale. It’s a paddling day, not a surfing day.

The weekend doesn’t get any better. Saturday, August 8th, we’re still stuck in the 1-2ft range, ESE swell, short period, with a moderate cross-off breeze. The ocean will be clean but empty. Sunday follows the same script, and by Monday, August 10th, there’s a risk of thunderstorms and the swell drops to 1.0ft at best. Wind stays cross-off, but honestly, you’re better off staying dry.

From Tuesday, August 11th, through the following week, the swell just fades away. We’re talking 0.3ft to 1.0ft, mostly short-period, with the energy readings dropping to single digits and low teens—weak, feckless lumps. There’s a stretch of days here that’s basically a flat spell, at least through the next week. The wind keeps shifting around, with some mornings offering a clean offshore, but the ocean’s just not giving us anything to work with.

Then, on Wednesday, August 19th, the afternoon shows a bit of life—swell bumps to 3ft from the E with a 12-second period, and the energy jumps to 292—that’s a moderate push, the first real sign of something. But the wind’s cross-onshore from the SE, so it’ll be fairly choppy. It’s a tease, not a green light.

Thursday, August 20th, is where it gets interesting. The morning brings 4ft of E swell, but the period’s a pitiful 5 seconds—short, junky, and the energy drops to 68. Not great. However, the afternoon shows more promise: 3ft of E swell with a 10-second period and the energy jumps to 283—moderate, and the wind turns cross-off from the SSW, so it’ll clean up. This is your standout window. It’s not huge, but after a week of nothing, a chest-high set with glassy conditions is a gift. The swell direction is from the E, which matches what this break likes (NE is optimum, so E is close enough to get some lines).

After that, it fades again. Friday and Saturday, August 21st and 22nd, drop back to 1.0-1ft, weak energy, and more of the same. So, the long and short of it: it’s a rough stretch with one gleam of hope on Thursday afternoon, August 20th. Keep your expectations low, enjoy the warm water, and be ready to pounce on that Thursday window if it holds.

Rusty

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