North Carolina
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Billy Mitchell Airport, North Carolina. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Sat, May 16: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with gentle SW breeze. Afternoon breeze fills in to 13mph.
Sun, May 17: 2–3ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on SE swell at 8s with 9mph from the SW. Onshore flow builds through the day to 14mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Mon, May 18: 2–3ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. The sweet spot is around midday — 2-3ft waves, moderate WSW wind around 8mph, fair conditions. It's a bit wonky first thing but settles down.
Tue, May 19: 2–3ft, 9s period, rated Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on SE swell at 9s and 8mph SSW winds. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Wed, May 20: 2–3ft, 9s period, rated Poor - Fair. A slow one — 2-3ft waves and poor - fair conditions with 10mph SW winds.
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Billy Mitchell Airport sits on the south-facing side of Hatteras Island near the Cape Hatteras region. This stretch catches S and SE swells particularly well — including hurricane swell that lights up the south-facing beaches when the rest of the OBX gets wind-blown. The uncrowded beach breaks offer mellow, forgiving waves for learning.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Billy Mitchell Airport is 1-2+ft with a 8.05s swell period. Wind is WSW at 5mph and conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Billy Mitchell Airport is 1-2+ft, produced by a 2.5ft SE primary swell at 8s, a 1ft SSW 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 Billy Mitchell Airport is Tuesday from 9 AM to 12 PM with 3ft waves, a 8.5s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Billy Mitchell Airport works best with a S swell and N 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 Billy Mitchell Airport. 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.
Billy Mitchell Airport is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Billy Mitchell Airport sits on the south-facing side of Hatteras Island near the Cape Hatteras region. This stretch catches S and SE swells particularly well — including hurricane swell that lights up the south-facing beaches when the rest of the OBX gets wind-blown. The uncrowded beach breaks offer mellow, forgiving waves for learning.
The prime season at Billy Mitchell Airport 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.
Common hazards at Billy Mitchell Airport include shifting sandbars, occasional strong currents, shallow areas at low tide. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Billy Mitchell Airport 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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
