North Carolina
The sweet spot is around midday — 1-2ft waves, 10mph S winds, poor conditions.
The sweet spot is around midday — 1-2ft waves, 10mph S winds, poor conditions.
Best window·Tuesday 8AM–11AM·3-4ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Jennettes Pier, 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 - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on ESE swell at 9s with moderate S wind around 9mph. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Fri, Sep 4: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on WSW swell at 3s with 14mph out of the WSW. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 5s period, rated Very Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly very poor with 17mph W winds.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Very Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly very poor with 13mph from the NNE.
Mon, Sep 7: 3–4ft, 8s period, rated Very Poor. A slow one — 3-4ft waves and very poor conditions with strong NE wind at 17mph.
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 Jennettes Pier turns Good.
Check Jennettes Pier from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Jennette's Pier in Nags Head has been an OBX surf landmark since the 1940s, with sandbars around the concrete pier that stay remarkably consistent. NE swells produce good lefts while SE swells create quality rights. December offers the highest percentage of clean, rideable waves. The pier houses NC Aquarium exhibits and provides one of the OBX's most recognizable surf cam views.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Jennettes Pier is 1-2ft with a 8.6s swell period. Wind is S at 9mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Jennettes Pier is 1-2ft, produced by a 1.7ft ESE primary swell at 9s, a 1.3ft 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 Jennettes Pier is Tuesday from 8 AM to 11 AM with 3ft waves, a 9.8s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Jennettes Pier works best with a NE 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 Jennettes Pier. 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.
Jennettes Pier is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Jennette's Pier in Nags Head has been an OBX surf landmark since the 1940s, with sandbars around the concrete pier that stay remarkably consistent. NE swells produce good lefts while SE swells create quality rights. December offers the highest percentage of clean, rideable waves. The pier houses NC Aquarium exhibits and provides one of the OBX's most recognizable surf cam views.
The prime season at Jennettes Pier is winter, 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 Jennettes Pier include dangerous rip currents, pier pilings, crowded lineup, minimum distance rules from pier. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Jennettes Pier 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).
