
Surf Forecasts:
Surf City Pier surf forecast from 6 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 6 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 5s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 7s period, E swell with 220 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 6 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 5s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Surf City Pier this week:
The surf forecast for Surf City Pier over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 06) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 5s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 5s. Another secondary swell of 0.2m and 8s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Surf City Pier in the next 16 days are 1.6m 7s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 5s period and expected on Friday (Sep 11) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 5s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 5s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 5ft (1.6m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Surf City Pier over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. It’s been a tough stretch for waves at Surf City Pier, and honestly, looking at the next 16 days, there’s nothing to get excited about. The forecast is a real bummer, with flat, small, and choppy conditions dominating almost the entire period. The water is sitting at 83.1°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s about the only good news.
We start off on Saturday the 5th with a tiny 2.3 ft south swell, but it’s a weak, short-period windswell with a cross-shore breeze and risk of thunderstorms. The energy is a measly 30 (weak). It’s a total write-off. Sunday the 6th through the rest of the first week stays tiny, with waves between 1.3 ft and 4.6 ft, but almost always with a cross or cross-onshore wind, making it choppy and messy. The combined energy barely cracks triple digits a couple of times, hitting 106 on Monday morning the 7th and 136 in the afternoon, but the wind is junk.
The pattern is a long, frustrating gap of nearly two weeks of poor surf. There’s a brief moment on Friday the 11th where the wind goes glassy, but the swell is a pathetic 1.3 ft to 1.6 ft with a period of 8 seconds. It’s surfable but very ordinary. The next Sunday the 13th sees a bump in height to 5.2 ft, but it’s again cross-shore and cross-onshore, creating a chop. The energy hits 208 (moderate) in the morning, but the quality is just not there.
The second week is the same old story. The waves are small, the wind is onshore or cross-shore, and the combined energy drops back into the weak category. The only real standouts are the glassy moments on the mornings of Friday the 18th and Sunday the 20th, but the swell is still only 1.3 ft. Even on Monday the 21st, the wind goes clean and cross-offshore, but the 2.6 ft swell is just too small to do anything with.
The best of a bad bunch is probably Friday the 11th, September, when the wind is glassy. The waves are tiny, but it’s the cleanest it’ll get. For experts, the morning of Sunday the 13th has the most size at 5.2 ft, but the cross-shore chop will make it a paddle battle. Honestly, for the next 16 days, this is more of a kiteboarding or flat-water paddle setup than a surfing one. The swell is too small, the wind is wrong, and the consistency is poor. It’s been a blank run, and it doesn’t look like it’ll change. Forecasts can change, but right now, there’s nothing to recommend.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 48mm), heaviest during Sat night. Warm (max 34°C on Sat afternoon, min 22°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 29°C on Thu afternoon, min 24°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 4 | SSW 5 | S 5 | S 6 | E 5 | E 5 | E 6 | E 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ENE 5 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
18 | 31 | 11 | 15 | 62 | 85 | 123 | 220 | 157 | 93 | 113 | 49 | 51 | 31 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 34 | 60 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross |
High Tide | 2:55PM1.61m | 3:12AM1.12m | 4:05PM1.64m | 4:23AM1.18m | 5:08PM1.68m | 5:27AM1.29m | 6:04PM1.70m | 6:24AM1.41m | 6:55PM1.71m | 7:15AM1.51m | 7:42PM1.68m | 8:03AM1.59m | 8:26PM1.62m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:30PM0.27m | 9:10AM0.09m | 10:36PM0.22m | 10:21AM0.05m | 11:33PM0.15m | 11:26AM0.00m | 00:24AM0.08m | 12:25PM-0.04m | 1:09AM0.02m | 1:19PM-0.06m | 1:52AM-0.01m | 2:10PM-0.05m | 2:32AM-0.02m | |||||||
— | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | |
7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:27 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:23 | — | — | 7:22 | — | |
mm | 6 | 29 | — | 2 | 10 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | 22 | 13 |
Temp °C | 34 | 23 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 25 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 24 |
Feels °C | 36 | 23 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 25 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 34 | 32 | 26 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | S 5 | S 5 | S 6 | S 5 | SE 9 | SE 8 | — | — | E 10 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 6 | S 5 | S 6 | S 6 |
11 | 22 | 11 | 15 | 5 | 19 | 11 | — | — | 2 | 62 | 49 | 51 | 31 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 17 | 22 | 6 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 6 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | S 5 | S 5 | — | — | — | ESE 8 | SE 8 | E 9 | ESE 9 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 6 | SE 8 | SE 9 |
1 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | 7 | 17 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 34 | 12 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 6 | E 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 9 | E 9 | — | E 9 | E 8 | — | E 9 | SE 8 | — | SE 6 |
— | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 6 | — | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | 18 | — | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 4 | SSW 5 | — | E 3 | E 5 | E 5 | E 6 | E 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 6 | — | — | — | — | S 3 | S 4 | WSW 5 | — | ENE 5 |
18 | 31 | — | 6 | 62 | 85 | 123 | 220 | 157 | 93 | 113 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 12 | 14 | — | 60 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 2048 | 0 | 780 | 839 | 407 | 518 | 716 | 474 | 436 | 2593 | 91 | 191 | 191 | 583 | 531 | 676 | 298 | 0 | 0 | 410 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Carolina | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Surf City Pier Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Surf City Pier provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Surf City Pier can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Surf City 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 (Surf City 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 Surf City 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.
Surf City Pier is 37 km (23 miles) from the city of Wilmington. If you plan a vacation in North Carolina, look for hotels and other accommodation in Wilmington. Wilmington has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










