
Surf Forecasts:
Rodanthe Pier surf forecast from 9 Sep 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 13 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 10s period, ESE swell with 137 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Rodanthe Pier this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Rodanthe Pier in the next 16 days are 0.9m 10s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 13) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 10) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rodanthe Pier over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s talk about Rodanthe Pier. I’ve been staring at the charts for the next couple of weeks and honestly, it’s a tough stretch for anyone wanting to get waves under their feet.
For the next ten days or so, we’re looking at a whole lot of small, weak, and frankly, pretty poor surf. The swell energy is just pathetic mostly – we're talking numbers like 37, 32, 24 in the combined energy department to start, which is almost nothing. That’s not surf, that’s just a ripple. The wave heights are mostly in that 1ft to 2ft range. If you’re a beginner and just want to paddle around on a foamie, maybe, but there’s no push. The winds are all over the place too, mostly onshore or cross, making things choppy and messy. There’s a brief moment on Thursday the 10th morning where it goes cross-offshore and clean with a SW wind, but the swell is a mere 1ft with a 9-second period. It’ll be glassy-looking but there just won't be any power to it. Then it’s back to small and junky.
We've got a real gap here. The first day that even gets close to being rideable for a competent surfer is Tuesday the 15th. It’s still only 3ft, but the period drops to a really short, weak 6 seconds. That’s just fat, crumbly shorebreak, not a wave you can do much with. The energy is still low, under 100. Not worth getting excited about. The wind is cross-shore so it won't be clean.
There is another little tease on Thursday the 18th morning. The wind goes dead glassy from the NNW, and it’s clear. But it’s only 1ft of swell. It’ll be pretty as a postcard, but again, just not enough push. You’ll be doing more bobbing than riding.
Then we hit a proper blow-up. From the 21st of September onwards, we get a burst of stronger wind – 28 to 31 mph from the NE, which is straight onshore. The swell does pick up to 4ft, and the energy climbs to around 100, but with that kind of wind, Rodanthe Pier is going to be a total washing machine. It’s not surfable; it’s just a blown-out mess. That setup is honestly more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. You’d be fighting a losing battle trying to paddle out through that.
Water temp is sitting at 82°, which is about 3° warmer than normal for this time of year – a touch warmer than usual, so you can probably get away with a thin wetsuit or a rashie.
So, here’s the long and short of it. There are absolutely no standouts in this 16-day window. Nothing. No hidden gem, no late-season pulse. It’s just a long, flat, and then windy stretch. We get a few moments of clean conditions, but they’re all with waves that are too small to ride. It’s a blank run, which happens around here. The good news is, with a consistent break like Rodanthe Pier, this kind of dead spell doesn’t usually last too long. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye on it, but for now, I’d be doing something else with my time.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Thu night, min 24°C on Tue afternoon). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSE on Wed morning, fresh winds from the SSW by Thu night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 23mm), heaviest during Sat night. Warm (max 27°C on Sun afternoon, min 24°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ENE 9 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 8 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 9 | NE 4 | SE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | NE 5 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
55 | 40 | 19 | 18 | 28 | 21 | 16 | 14 | 18 | 15 | 20 | 40 | 61 | 137 | 31 | 30 | 28 | 42 | 42 | 66 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 9:08PM0.27m | 9:15AM0.25m | 10:07PM0.28m | 10:10AM0.25m | 10:56PM0.28m | 11:01AM0.25m | 11:37PM0.28m | 11:51AM0.25m | 00:08AM0.28m | 12:38PM0.25m | 00:34AM0.28m | 1:23PM0.26m | 00:59AM0.27m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:27PM0.14m | 4:29AM0.17m | 4:24PM0.13m | 5:27AM0.17m | 5:14PM0.13m | 6:17AM0.16m | 6:00PM0.13m | 7:01AM0.15m | 6:45PM0.14m | 7:41AM0.15m | 7:26PM0.15m | 8:19AM0.14m | 8:05PM0.16m | |||||||
— | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | |
7:19 | — | — | 7:17 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:12 | — | — | 7:10 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 7 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 2 | — | — |
Temp °C | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
Feels °C | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 30 | 30 | 27 | 26 | 26 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 9 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 8 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 10 | NE 4 | E 5 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | ESE 9 |
55 | 40 | 19 | 18 | 28 | 21 | 16 | 14 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 40 | 18 | 3 | 16 | 30 | 28 | 42 | 42 | 45 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | SE 6 | ESE 6 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | SSE 5 | E 8 | SE 7 | E 11 | SW 4 | ESE 10 | E 8 | ESE 10 | E 4 | E 5 | S 5 | E 6 | S 5 |
8 | 25 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 61 | 1 | 31 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 1 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | NE 6 | ENE 9 | — | E 9 | SE 6 | SSW 5 | E 8 | — | E 9 | — | E 8 | E 8 | — | E 7 | S 5 | E 15 |
15 | 14 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 8 | — | 1 | 14 | 5 | 1 | — | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 8 | 2 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 5 | — | — | — | S 3 | SW 3 | S 4 | SW 4 | NW 3 | NNE 4 | NE 4 | ENE 5 | E 4 | ESE 10 | ESE 5 | S 2 | WSW 3 | N 4 | NNE 5 | NE 5 |
5 | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | 13 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 20 | 32 | 15 | 137 | 19 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 37 | 66 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 420 | 16 | 1973 | 1725 | 420 | 64 | 472 | 260 | 3 | 488 | 666 | 1052 | 1297 | 736 | 40 | 26 | 3 | 44 | 44 | 488 |
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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