Swell Intel

Cape Hatteras Surf Forecast

North Carolina

Cape Hatteras surf spot

Current Conditions

Fair - Good
Wave Height
3-4ft
waist to chest high
Swell Period
9.05s
Wind
6mph
W / Gusts 14mph
Conditions
Fair - Good
Active Swells
Primary
3.0ft @ 9sESE
Secondary
0.2ft @ 14sSE

Never miss a good day at Cape Hatteras

Sign up free to save favorites, set surf alerts, and get extended forecasts.

Sign Up Free

Nearest Webcam

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

Forecast Charts

Daily Forecast

Thu, Mar 26Poor - Fair

The sweet spot is around midday — 3-4ft waves, glassy conditions, fair - good conditions. Early on is a little rough — give it until mid-morning to shape up.

6am9am12pm3pm
9s ESE|Calm
Fri, Mar 27Poor

Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with barely a breath of wind.

6am9am12pm3pm
9s E|Calm
Sat, Mar 28Poor - Fair

Pretty quiet out there — 4-5ft and mostly poor - fair with barely a breath of wind.

6am9am12pm3pm
5s S|Calm
Sun, Mar 29Poor

Pretty quiet out there — 5-6ft and mostly poor with calm winds.

6am9am12pm3pm
9s E|Calm
Mon, Mar 30Poor - Fair

A slow one — 3-4ft waves and poor - fair conditions with barely a breath of wind.

6am9am12pm3pm
7s ESE|Calm

Unlock the full forecast

Sign Up

Cape Hatteras Surf Forecast FAQ

What is the current surf forecast for Cape Hatteras?
The current wave height at Cape Hatteras is 3-4ft with a 9.05s swell period. Wind is W at 6mph. Conditions are rated Fair - Good.
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.