Swell Intel

Cape Hatteras Surf Forecast, North Carolina

North Carolina

Buxton (North)1-2ftKite Point1-2ftBilly Mitchell Airport3-4+ft
Cape Hatteras surf spot

Current Conditions

Poor
Wave Height
1-2ft
ankle to knee high
Swell Period
4.95s
Wind
12mph
SSW / Gusts 28mph
Conditions
Poor
Active Swells
Primary
1.0ft @ 9sESE
Secondary
0.3ft @ 14sE
Wind Swell
3.6ft @ 5sS

Nearest Webcam

Daily Forecast

3 of 5 days
Tue, Mar 311-2ft
Poor
6am9am12pm3pm
Wed, Apr 11-2ft
Poor

Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with 11mph SSW winds.

6am9am12pm3pm
10s ESE|9-14mph SW
Thu, Apr 22-3ft
Fair

Aim for the middle of the day — 2-3ft on ESE swell at 9s with gentle SSW breeze. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning.

6am9am12pm3pm
8s ESE|5-8mph SSW
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Sat

Forecast Charts

Cape Hatteras Surf Spot Guide

Break
Beach
Bottom
Sand
Level
Expert
Crowd
Heavy
Best Swell
E
Best Wind
W
Season
Fall

Cape Hatteras is the crown jewel of East Coast surfing, where the barrier islands bend sharply east into the Atlantic near Diamond Shoals. Three old groins create defined peaks — the First Jetty produces barreling lefts on NE swell, while the Third Jetty delivers sweeping rights on S/SE swell. The cape's unique geometry acts as a wave magnet, picking up swell from virtually every direction, and proximity to the Gulf Stream delivers powerful groundswells year-round.

Submerged jetty pilings and metalStrong rips and undertowHeavy localismPowerful cleanup setsShifting sandbars

Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.

Cape Hatteras Surf Forecast FAQ

What is the current surf forecast for Cape Hatteras?
The current wave height at Cape Hatteras is 1-2ft with a 4.95s swell period. Wind is SSW at 12mph. Conditions are rated Poor.
How accurate is the Cape Hatteras surf forecast?
Our Cape Hatteras 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.
What is the breaking wave height at Cape Hatteras?
The current breaking wave height at Cape Hatteras is 1-2ft, produced by a 1ft ESE primary swell at 9s, a 0.3ft E secondary swell at 14s, a 3.6ft S wind swell swell at 5s. 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.
When is the best time to surf Cape Hatteras?
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Cape Hatteras is Thursday from 11 AM to 2 PM with 3ft waves, a 7.8s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.