North Carolina
Aim for the middle of the day — 1-2ft on SE swell at 9s with 11mph from the SSE.
Aim for the middle of the day — 1-2ft on SE swell at 9s with 11mph from the SSE.
Conditions stay similar this week — check the hourly forecast at Carolina Beach for the cleanest windows.
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Carolina Beach, 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 SE swell at 9s with 11mph from the SSE. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Fri, Sep 4: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on SSE swell at 6s with 9mph SW winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 15mph from the SSW and dropping conditions to poor.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 5s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on SSW swell at 5s with moderate W wind around 11mph. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Very Poor. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on S swell at 5s with gentle N breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 15mph from the ENE and dropping conditions to very poor.
Mon, Sep 7: 3–4ft, 6s period, rated Very Poor. Not the most exciting day — 3-4ft and very poor conditions with 13mph out of the NE. Expect the wind to bump up to around 17mph by PM.
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 Carolina Beach turns Good.
Check Carolina Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Carolina Beach punches above its weight — the waves here are generally hollower and more powerful than those at Wrightsville Beach to the north on the same swell. The pier break is the focal point, with a grittier, more local vibe and a boardwalk/amusement park atmosphere. S, SE, and E swells all work well on this east-southeast facing beach.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Carolina Beach is 1-2ft with a 8.8s swell period. Wind is SSE at 11mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Carolina Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 1.7ft SE primary swell at 9s. 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 Carolina Beach is Tuesday from 9 AM to 12 PM with 3ft waves, a 6.5s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Carolina Beach works best with a SE swell and NW 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 Carolina Beach. 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.
Carolina Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Carolina Beach punches above its weight — the waves here are generally hollower and more powerful than those at Wrightsville Beach to the north on the same swell. The pier break is the focal point, with a grittier, more local vibe and a boardwalk/amusement park atmosphere. S, SE, and E swells all work well on this east-southeast facing beach.
The prime season at Carolina Beach 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 Carolina Beach include submerged pilings from old structures, localism, rocks at high tide, pier pilings, strong currents on south swells. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Carolina Beach 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).
