Surf Forecasts:
Rodanthe Pier surf forecast from 30 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 2 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 11s period, ESE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 11s period, ESE swell with 117 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 2 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 11s period with ESE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Rodanthe Pier this week:
The surf forecast for Rodanthe Pier over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 11s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Rodanthe Pier in the next 16 days are 0.7m 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 3s period and expected on Saturday (Sep 05) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 2ft (0.6m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 2ft (0.6m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rodanthe Pier over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a good, hard look at what’s on the table for Rodanthe Pier over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you – it’s a long, flat, quiet stretch ahead. We’ve got a solid run of days here where the ocean just doesn’t want to play ball for surfers, so we’ll get through it.
We’re looking at a pretty bleak start. From now until the end of the first week of September, the swell is tiny – we’re talking 0.7ft to 2ft at best – with periods hanging around 8 to 10 seconds. That’s just not enough push to do anything fun on. The wind is mostly cross-off or light, which keeps the water clean, but with no real swell, it’s like having a perfectly waxed board and no waves. Water temp is sitting around 82°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.
The real hardship is the big gap. After the weekend of August 30-31, we roll right through into September with nothing worth paddling out for. It’s a full week of “poor surf conditions” stamped on every single report. You’ll see a little bump up in energy on September 8th, where the combined swell energy hits 106 (moderate wave energy) and the swell height comes up to 2ft, but the score is still a zero. That’s a tease. It’s not until the morning of September 9th that we finally get something that registers a score – a 1. The swell is 5ft from the ENE with an 11-second period, and the combined energy jumps way up to 720 (strong wave energy). The wind is cross-off from the SW at 22 mph, keeping it clean. That Wednesday morning is the only thing in this whole 16-day window that gets close to being worth a look. The waves will have some shape and punch, but that kind of size (over 5ft) is going to be too much for beginners. It’s a heads-up for the intermediate to advanced crew only, and it’s a short window – that afternoon the swell drops right back off.
After that, it’s another dead run. The energy fades fast, dropping back to poor conditions with tiny surf and weak energy (values in the 30s and 40s) through to the 13th of September. The final days show a bit more size – 3ft to 4ft around the 12th and 13th – but the period is short (5 to 8 seconds) and the wind is cross-on or cross-shore, so you’re looking at bumped-up, short-period slop. Not a good look. The combined energy on the 13th hits 166 (moderate) but with poor conditions across the board.
Honestly, if you were thinking of kiting, those days on the 8th and 9th with stronger wind (19-25 mph) and clean cross-off conditions might be more appealing than trying to paddle a shortboard through that.
So, there you have it. A long, patient wait for one brief, half-decent shot on the morning of the 9th of September. Otherwise, the pier is quiet. Get the wetsuit dry for a bit.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 27°C on Sun night, min 25°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Thu afternoon, min 25°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Wed night, light winds from the W by Thu night). | ||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 13 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
14 | 15 | 15 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 21 | 33 | 95 | 106 | 75 | 43 | 27 | 26 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 6 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 00:15AM0.27m | 12:38PM0.24m | 00:38AM0.28m | 1:18PM0.25m | 1:06AM0.28m | 2:00PM0.25m | 1:42AM0.28m | 2:44PM0.25m | 2:24AM0.28m | 3:32PM0.25m | 3:14AM0.27m | 4:26PM0.25m | 4:14AM0.26m | ||||||
Low Tide | 7:59AM0.14m | 7:02PM0.14m | 8:23AM0.14m | 7:07PM0.15m | 8:33AM0.13m | 7:36PM0.16m | 8:38AM0.13m | 8:16PM0.16m | 9:09AM0.13m | 9:01PM0.16m | 9:53AM0.13m | 9:50PM0.16m | |||||||
— | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | |
7:32 | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:25 | — | — | 7:24 | — | |
mm | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 |
Temp °C | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 26 |
Feels °C | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 4 | NE 5 | NE 5 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 |
6 | 7 | 6 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 21 | 12 | 95 | 106 | 75 | 43 | 27 | 26 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 6 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | NE 4 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 5 | E 14 | ESE 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 |
14 | 15 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 6 | — | — | S 6 |
2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 3 | — | SSW 3 | SW 3 | WSW 3 | SW 2 | SW 3 | WSW 3 | SW 2 | SW 3 | WSW 3 | SW 3 | SW 3 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 3 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 4 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 3 | 3 | 2114 | 3 | 3 | 1048 | 808 | 3 | 1057 | 64 | 36 | 376 | 141 | 34 | 260 | 229 | 260 | 503 | 423 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Carolina | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Rodanthe Pier Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Rodanthe Pier provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Rodanthe Pier can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Rodanthe Pier 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 (Rodanthe Pier) 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 Rodanthe Pier 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.
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