North Carolina
Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 2-3ft with 13mph SW winds.
Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 2-3ft with 13mph SW winds.
Best window·Thursday 2PM–5PM·2-3ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Rodanthe 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: 2–3ft, 9s period, rated Fair - Good. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on ESE swell at 9s and 12mph from the SW. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 18mph from the SSW and dropping conditions to fair.
Fri, Sep 4: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. Not the most exciting day — 1-2ft and poor conditions with 20mph WSW winds.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 5s period, rated Poor. Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on SSW swell at 5s and strong WSW wind at 20mph. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Sun, Sep 6: 1–2ft, 5s period, rated Very Poor. Not the most exciting day — 1-2ft and very poor conditions with moderate NE wind around 13mph.
Mon, Sep 7: 3–4ft, 8s period, rated Very Poor. Not the most exciting day — 3-4ft and very poor conditions with strong NE wind at 20mph.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
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Check Rodanthe Pier from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Rodanthe Pier produces fast, steep waves that barrel with more power than many expect from the Outer Banks. The break fires from head-high to triple overhead, with heavy sections that can genuinely tube. The area just north — S-Turns — is considered one of the best waves on the entire OBX. Far fewer crowds than the northern piers, with possible solo sessions on weekday mornings.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Rodanthe Pier is 2-3ft with a 8.5s swell period. Wind is SW at 16mph. Conditions are rated Fair - Good. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Rodanthe Pier is 2-3ft, produced by a 2ft ESE primary swell at 9s, a 1.1ft SSW wind swell swell at 3s, a 1ft NE wind swell swell at 6s. 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 Rodanthe Pier is Thursday from 2 PM to 5 PM with 2ft waves, a 8.5s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Rodanthe 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 Rodanthe 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.
Rodanthe Pier is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Rodanthe Pier produces fast, steep waves that barrel with more power than many expect from the Outer Banks. The break fires from head-high to triple overhead, with heavy sections that can genuinely tube. The area just north — S-Turns — is considered one of the best waves on the entire OBX. Far fewer crowds than the northern piers, with possible solo sessions on weekday mornings.
The prime season at Rodanthe Pier 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 Rodanthe Pier include pier pilings, strong rip currents, heavy barrels, parking enforcement — no parking at pier for surfers, citation for surfing within 300ft of pier. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Rodanthe 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).
