
Surf Forecasts:
Rodanthe Pier surf forecast from 11 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 15s period, ESE swell with 84 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 0.4m 15s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Monday (Aug 17) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rodanthe Pier over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. We’re looking at the forecast for the next sixteen days, and I gotta be straight with you—it’s a grim stretch for surf around Rodanthe Pier. The swell is basically a no-show, and we’ve got a long, dry run of near-flat conditions ahead. There’s a real gap here from the start all the way through, with nothing rideable on offer.
The first real chance of anything even remotely interesting doesn’t pop up until Tuesday, August 18th, and even then, it’s a tough sell. On Tuesday morning, we see a groundswell from the ESE with a very long period of 14 seconds and a swell height of 1 ft. The combined swell energy climbs to (148), which is moderate, but the wind is a cross-onshore NE breeze at 16 mph, making for a choppy surface. That combo of a long period and a tiny, weak swell at a beach break is a tough one—it’s likely to be straight and fat. Definitely not a standout.
The water is sitting at 82°, which is about 1° above average for the time of year, so nothing wild there.
Tuesday afternoon, August 18th, looks similar: 1 ft ESE swell, period dropping to 13 seconds, combined energy (111), still moderate, but again that cross-onshore chop from the NNE at 16 mph ruins any chance of clean surf.
By Wednesday, August 19th, the swell drops further. Morning sees a 2 ft E swell with an 11-second period, but the combined energy is only (87) and the wind is a light cross-onshore from the NE at just 3 mph. The conditions are described as having small wind ripples, so it’s not completely blown out, but with that tiny weak swell, it’s still not going to be worth a paddle.
The rest of the outlook into the second week stays very similar: tiny swells, mostly 1.0 ft to 1 ft, with periods all over the place from 5 to 12 seconds, and combined energy readings that are all in the weak to low-moderate range (16 to 39). The wind does swing offshore or cross-offshore on a few mornings, like Friday, August 21st morning, with a light SE breeze, but the swell is just too small to do anything with.
Honestly, there’s not a single standout session in this whole 16-day window. The combined energy only breaks into the triple digits for two sessions on the 18th, and both are ruined by choppy winds. The rest of the time, the energy is pitifully low. If you’re desperate for a splash, the cleanest conditions come on Tuesday, August 25th afternoon, when it goes glassy with 1.0 ft ESE swell, but the energy is only (23)—that’s a lake paddle, not a surf.
Forget the big boards. This is a kite-surfing stretch if anything, with those lighter winds and tiny waves. The surf just isn’t here. Keep your eyes on the charts, but for now, it’s a long wait.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 29°C on Tue afternoon, min 26°C on Tue night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Warm (max 31°C on Fri afternoon, min 25°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Fri afternoon, calm by Sat night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | ||||||||||||||
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) | E 9 | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 10 | E 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | NE 4 | NE 4 | ENE 4 | SE 8 | NE 6 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 9 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
6 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 14 | 7 | 18 | 12 | 8 | 21 | 16 | 22 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:11PM0.25m | 10:26AM0.22m | 11:06PM0.26m | 11:20AM0.22m | 11:55PM0.27m | 12:11PM0.22m | 00:37AM0.27m | 1:03PM0.22m | 1:13AM0.27m | 1:58PM0.22m | 1:43AM0.26m | 2:55PM0.22m | 2:13AM0.25m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:42PM0.11m | 5:43AM0.13m | 5:34PM0.11m | 6:38AM0.13m | 6:20PM0.11m | 7:27AM0.12m | 7:03PM0.11m | 8:12AM0.12m | 7:44PM0.12m | 8:55AM0.12m | 8:24PM0.13m | 9:35AM0.11m | 9:03PM0.14m | |||||||
— | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | |
7:55 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:51 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:49 | — | |
mm | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 |
Temp °C | 29 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 31 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 26 |
Feels °C | 28 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | — | ESE 8 | N 3 | N 4 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | E 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | SSE 6 | SE 7 | ESE 8 | ENE 4 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 9 |
6 | — | 7 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 16 | 12 | 5 | 21 | 16 | 22 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 6 | S 3 | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSE 3 | NNE 4 | NE 4 | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | ESE 8 | E 9 | SSE 7 | NNE 4 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | NE 5 | NE 7 | E 16 |
1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 20 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 8 | E 11 | E 8 | E 8 | NNE 4 | E 10 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | S 6 | — | NE 7 | E 18 | E 6 |
1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 18 | 3 | — | 2 | 6 | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 3 | NW 3 | NNW 4 | — | — | — | SSW 3 | WSW 3 | — | — | NE 4 | NE 4 | — | — | SE 5 | S 3 | SW 3 | SSW 4 | W 4 |
— | 1 | 5 | 6 | — | — | — | 9 | 4 | — | — | 8 | 14 | — | — | 1 | 7 | 9 | 20 | 14 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1982 | 150 | 150 | 2077 | 229 | 666 | 2077 | 666 | 1308 | 2078 | 171 | 856 | 850 | 666 | 638 | 1002 | 584 | 295 | 260 | 44 |
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.
Are you planning a vacation in North Carolina? If you are looking for accommodation near Rodanthe Pier, camping, hotels and condos and appartments in North Carolina, consider staying in Cape Hatteras which is 44 km (27 miles) away.











