🇺🇸 BUXTON, NORTH CAROLINA
Buxton
North Carolina's quality OBX break, home to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
FAIR
Live Conditions
Conditions Summary
Good 7ft waves — but short 6s period indicates wind swell, expect choppy conditions — hitting at the ideal angle — 12mph onshore wind roughing up the surface
HIGH CONFIDENCEFresh buoy data + calibrated transformation
Why it's FAIR
Swell Direction
Primary swell is 68° — matches the ideal 80° window for this spot
Swell Period
11s — solid groundswell. Waves will have real energy and organization.
Wind
12mph onshore — will chop up the surface and ruin wave shape
Tide
Rising tide — workable window
Season
October is peak season for this spot
Data Confidence
Fresh buoy data with calibrated coastal transformation
At the Break
7.3ft
HIGH CONFIDENCE
Fresh buoy data + calibrated transformation
Period
11s
✓ Groundswell
Wind
12mph
NE
ONSHORE
Water
65°F
3/2 wetsuit
Live Buoy 44095
5.2ft
11s
61 min ago
Tide
MID-TIDE · RISING
1.5ft
Next high: in 2 hr 51 min
Swell Direction
85%
Wind Direction
20%
Primary Swell
2.4ft @ 7.3s
ESE 105°
Secondary Swell
1.2ft @ 5.5s
NE 35°
10 Day Outlook
5.2ft
TODAY
Oct 28
(9s)
5.2ft
TMRW
Oct 29
(8s)
4.1ft
FRI
Oct 30
(8s)
4.6ft
SAT
Oct 31
(8s)
4.5ft
SUN
Nov 1
(7s)
7.3ft
MON
Nov 2
(8s)
6.4ft
TUE
Nov 3
(8s)
6.2ft
WED
Nov 4
(9s)
8.1ft
THU
Nov 5
(10s)
8.0ft
FRI
Nov 6
(10s)
Best this week: MON Nov 2 — 7.3ft
Best next week: FRI Nov 6 — 8.0ft
Incoming Swell Events
Today
moderate
Swell building to 5.2ft @ 9s
Day 6
solid
Swell building to 7.3ft @ 8s
Model Breakdown
ECMWF (45%)4.7ft
ICON (35%)4.2ft
GFS (20%)4.7ft
Model confidence80%
Updated every 30 mins · Open-Meteo ECMWF + ICON + GFS
About
Buxton sits near the bend of Cape Hatteras, where the Outer Banks jut furthest into the Atlantic. The area around the old lighthouse produces some of the most organized waves on the Carolina coast. Hurricane swells can make this world-class. The reef near the lighthouse holds larger swell than the open beach.
The Break
The Lighthouse (Old Lighthouse Beach) — reef-influenced break holding larger swell. Beach break nearby for smaller days.
Ideal Conditions
E/NE swell 4-12ft, offshore W/NW wind, mid to low tide
Best Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Best months highlighted · Current: Oct
Trip Planner
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Weekend
Weekend · 3 Days
Friday
Fly to Raleigh (RDU), drive to Buxton (4 hrs). Check conditions at the Lighthouse beach area.
Saturday
Dawn patrol at The Lighthouse or nearby reef. Beach break for backup.
Sunday
Morning session, explore Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Outer Banks Buxton Deep Dive
Full Week · 7 Days
Day 1
Arrive Buxton, settle in, scout The Lighthouse and reef area.
Day 2-4
Multiple sessions at The Lighthouse. Explore nearby breaks toward Frisco.
Day 5
Final session, visit Cape Hatteras Lighthouse or explore the national seashore.
Local Knowledge
01
The Lighthouse is the flagship but has strong currents.
02
Explore the beaches south toward Frisco for uncrowded peaks.
03
Hurricane season (Aug-Oct) brings the best world-class swell.
Best Window
Day 9 · Nov 5
8.1ft @ 10s
FIRING
Trip Cost Estimate
Flights from NYC~$250
Hotel per night~$160
Weekend est.~$730
5 day est.~$1050
Week est.~$1370