
Surf Forecasts:
Surf City Pier surf forecast from 21 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 23 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 6s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 22 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 6s period, S swell with 243 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 23 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 6s period with S 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 Thursday (Jul 23) at 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. 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 1.7m 6s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5PM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Surf City Pier over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let me tell ya, things are looking pretty grim here at Surf City Pier. We’re staring down a stretch of quiet surf that’s gonna disappoint anyone looking for a proper wave. The whole 16-day outlook is a tough one, with only a few flickers of anything rideable.
Straight up, the next week and a half has almost nothing to get excited about. We’ve got a long gap of poor conditions starting now and lasting right through to the end of July. The combined swell energy stays weak, barely cracking 100 (85 on Tuesday morning), with short-period, wind-affected swells that just won’t deliver.
Thursday, July 23rd offers a brief, slight window. The afternoon sees a little cross-off breeze from the NNE at 9 mph, cleaning things up. You’ve got a weak 4 ft S swell with a period of 6 seconds, and the combined energy is only 90. It’s surfable, but man, it’s ordinary. You’d be scratching for anything halfway decent, and with only gentle wind, it’s clean but tiny.
Then Saturday, July 25th shows the best of a bad bunch. Early morning the wind swings WNW at just 6 mph, going offshore. That’ll clean up the 3 ft SW swell (period a short 5 seconds, combined energy 97). It’s still not great, but it’s the cleanest the waves will be. The afternoon stays small but clean with a light offshore breeze. This is about as good as it gets, and that’s saying something. The water temp is a warm 84°, which is pretty average for this time of year.
Sunday, July 26th morning is another small, clean option with a 2 ft ESE swell and a light NNW cross-off breeze.
After that, it’s back to mostly poor, choppy, onshore junk through the end of the month and into early August. Wednesday, July 29th has a clean morning with a 3 ft S swell and a light offshore NW wind, but the combined energy is only 118, and it’s still nothing special.
Honestly, if you’re dead set on paddling out, Saturday the 25th morning is your only real shout. The rest is a write-off. This spot is very consistent, so these blank runs are a real bummer, but forecasts can change. For now though, it’s a tough pill to swallow.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 47mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon. Warm (max 31°C on Wed afternoon, min 24°C on Thu afternoon). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Wed afternoon, calm by Thu night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 31mm), heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 29°C on Sat afternoon, min 22°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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 6 | S 6 | S 6 | SSW 7 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | S 6 | S 5 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | SW 5 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSW 5 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
64 | 105 | 243 | 175 | 150 | 121 | 108 | 74 | 36 | 51 | 50 | 39 | 42 | 37 | 39 | 40 | 40 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 40 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 2:08PM1.34m | 2:11AM1.03m | 3:05PM1.34m | 3:08AM0.94m | 4:01PM1.35m | 4:07AM0.91m | 4:54PM1.37m | 5:02AM0.91m | 5:43PM1.41m | 5:52AM0.93m | 6:28PM1.45m | 6:37AM0.98m | 7:09PM1.49m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:25PM0.26m | 8:14AM0.12m | 9:31PM0.30m | 9:04AM0.15m | 10:34PM0.30m | 9:56AM0.16m | 11:29PM0.28m | 10:47AM0.16m | 00:17AM0.25m | 11:36AM0.13m | 1:00AM0.21m | 12:22PM0.10m | 1:38AM0.17m | ||||||||
6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | |
— | 8:20 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:17 | — | — | 8:17 | — | — | 8:16 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 4 | 30 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | 20 |
Temp °C | 29 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 29 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 28 |
Feels °C | 30 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 32 | 28 | 27 | 31 | 29 | 31 | 31 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | — | — | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | S 5 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | S 5 | ESE 8 | SE 8 |
21 | — | — | 20 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 16 | 22 | 51 | 50 | 39 | 17 | 37 | 39 | 40 | 40 | 23 | 13 | 23 | 15 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 7 | SSW 5 | SSW 5 | SSW 5 | NE 6 | E 6 | ESE 8 | E 6 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 37 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 1 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 6 | SE 9 | E 6 | — | — | — | NE 6 | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | SSW 7 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | S 6 | S 5 | SSW 5 | SSW 5 | SSW 5 | SW 5 | SSW 5 | — | SW 5 | SSW 5 | S 4 | — | S 5 | SSW 5 |
64 | 105 | 243 | 175 | 150 | 121 | 108 | 74 | 36 | 26 | 28 | 39 | 42 | 17 | — | 7 | 7 | 9 | — | 20 | 40 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1204 | 1204 | 474 | 525 | 250 | 298 | 169 | 0 | 0 | 194 | 236 | 268 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 80 | 76 | 1016 | 878 | 1107 |
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.










