North Carolina
The sweet spot is around midday — 1-2ft waves, 7mph from the WSW, poor conditions.
The sweet spot is around midday — 1-2ft waves, 7mph from the WSW, poor conditions.
Conditions stay similar this week — check the hourly forecast at Southern Duck for the cleanest windows.
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Southern Duck, 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. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on ESE swell at 9s with 7mph from the WSW. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Fri, Sep 4: 1–2ft, 3s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on WSW swell at 3s with strong SW wind at 16mph. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Very Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on W swell at 3s with 16mph out of the W. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Very Poor. Not the most exciting day — 1-2ft and very poor conditions with 14mph NNE winds.
Mon, Sep 7: 3–4ft, 8s period, rated Very Poor. Not the most exciting day — 3-4ft and very poor conditions with 15mph NE winds.
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 Southern Duck turns Good.
Check Southern Duck from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Southern Duck is a mellow beach break on the Outer Banks that offers forgiving, rolling waves ideal for surfers working on their fundamentals. The sandy bottom provides a soft landing and consistent peaks across a wide beach, making it accessible during moderate swell conditions. This exposed southern-facing stretch picks up distant Atlantic swells beautifully and works best when autumn storms deliver clean, organized groundswell.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Southern Duck is 1-2ft with a 5.8s swell period. Wind is WSW at 7mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Southern Duck is 1-2ft, produced by a 1.5ft NE wind swell swell at 6s, a 1.4ft ESE secondary 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 Southern Duck is Tuesday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 10s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Southern Duck works best with a E 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 Southern Duck. 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.
Southern Duck is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Southern Duck is a mellow beach break on the Outer Banks that offers forgiving, rolling waves ideal for surfers working on their fundamentals. The sandy bottom provides a soft landing and consistent peaks across a wide beach, making it accessible during moderate swell conditions. This exposed southern-facing stretch picks up distant Atlantic swells beautifully and works best when autumn storms deliver clean, organized groundswell.
The prime season at Southern Duck 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 Southern Duck include strong currents, occasional shallow sandbars. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Southern Duck 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).
