Rodanthe Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's on offer for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it's a bit of a flat spell for the Outer Banks right now. We've got a long stretch of days with tiny, weak surf, so you’re better off keeping the board in the car for the first week and a half. The real story, the one that's got me pacing a bit, is shaping up for Tuesday the 15th of September. That's the standout, and it's worth the wait.

Right now, through Monday the 2nd of September, we're looking at ankle-snappers at Rodanthe Pier. The swell is tiny, mostly around 1 ft to 1 ft from the ESE with a short, weak period of 8 seconds. The wave energy is barely registering, reading between 22 and 25 (weak wave energy). It's just not doing anything.

That trend continues into the first week of September. From the 2nd up through the 11th, we see poor surf conditions day after day. Swell heights stay below 3 ft, with the odd bump from the ENE and NNE on the 5th and 6th, but it's wind-affected, messy, and period is low. The combined energy figures are mostly two-digit numbers, below 100 (weak wave energy). For example, the morning of the 6th shows just 46 (weak wave energy). There's nothing to get excited about here. You’d be looking at choppy, bumpy lines on a forgiving beach break that’s better for a beginner to get wet than for anyone looking for a proper wave.

Then things get interesting leading into the second week. The morning of Tuesday the 15th of September is our window. A clean, 7 ft swell from the ENE rolls in, with a period of 8 seconds. That's a short-period swell, but the raw power is undeniable. The combined energy jumps to 591 (strong wave energy), which is a massive step up from what we’ve seen. With a light, offshore wind from the W, it’ll be glassy and clean. This is a proper, punchy beach break wave at Rodanthe Pier. The ENE swell direction lines up perfectly with the optimum direction for this exposed spot. Now, 7 ft is getting into the territory where beginners should take a rain check—it's more for intermediate to advanced surfers. The afternoon looks a touch more wind-affected, so hit the morning session for the best of it.

The water temp is sitting at a warm 81°F at the start. That’s 1° above the long-term average, so essentially normal for this time of year—nice and warm.

So, to wrap it up: a long, sleepy gap of poor surf until the 15th. When it arrives, it's a big, clean day on a consistent break, which is a rare treat. Keep an eye on that date, cause that's the shot.

- Rusty

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