North Carolina
The sweet spot is around midday — 1-2ft waves, light winds out of the SSW, poor conditions.
The sweet spot is around midday — 1-2ft waves, light winds out of the SSW, poor conditions.
Conditions stay similar this week — check the hourly forecast at Bath House for the cleanest windows.
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Bath House, North Carolina. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 1–2ft, 9s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on ESE swell at 9s with light SW winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Fri, Sep 4: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on WSW swell at 3s with 14mph WSW winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 5s period, rated Very Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on W swell at 4s with 17mph W winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Very Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly very poor with 14mph NNE winds.
Mon, Sep 7: 3–4ft, 8s period, rated Very Poor. A slow one — 3-4ft waves and very poor conditions with 16mph out of the NE.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor today — get one free email when Bath House turns Good.
Check Bath House from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Bath House is a mellow beach break located on North Carolina's barrier islands, offering forgiving sand bottom waves ideal for learning and progression. The spot faces west-southwest, capturing Atlantic swells particularly well during autumn when consistent ground swell combines with favorable wind patterns. With a protected sandy beach and gentle wave formations, this spot provides a welcoming environment for surfers of all abilities looking to escape crowded lineups.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Bath House is 1-2ft with a 8.6s swell period. Wind is SW at 6mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Bath House is 1-2ft, produced by a 1.7ft ESE primary swell at 9s, a 1.4ft NE wind swell swell at 6s, a 0.6ft S wind swell swell at 3s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Bath House is Tuesday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 10s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Bath House works best with a E swell and W winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at Bath House. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
Bath House is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Bath House is a mellow beach break located on North Carolina's barrier islands, offering forgiving sand bottom waves ideal for learning and progression. The spot faces west-southwest, capturing Atlantic swells particularly well during autumn when consistent ground swell combines with favorable wind patterns. With a protected sandy beach and gentle wave formations, this spot provides a welcoming environment for surfers of all abilities looking to escape crowded lineups.
The prime season at Bath House is fall, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Every surf spot has its own hazards — rocks, rip currents, crowds, marine life, or changing tides. Before paddling out at Bath House, watch the break for 10–15 minutes, talk to locals when you can, and never surf beyond your ability level.
Our Bath House forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable; extended forecasts show general trends. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
