🇺🇸 NAGS HEAD, NORTH CAROLINA

Nags Head

Northern Outer Banks beach break with Jennette's Pier

GOOD

Live Conditions

Conditions Summary

Solid 11ft swell — but short 9s period indicates wind swell, expect choppy conditions — hitting at the ideal angle — 15mph onshore wind roughing up the surface

HIGH CONFIDENCEFresh buoy data + calibrated transformation

Why it's GOOD

Swell Direction

Primary swell is 73° — matches the ideal 80° window for this spot

Swell Period

13s — strong, long-period groundswell. Maximum wave power and quality.

Wind

15mph onshore — will chop up the surface and ruin wave shape

Tide

Falling tide — workable window

Season

October is peak season for this spot

Data Confidence

Fresh buoy data with calibrated coastal transformation

At the Break

11.1ft

HIGH CONFIDENCE

Fresh buoy data + calibrated transformation

Period

13s

✓ Groundswell

Wind

15mph

ONSHORE

Water

64°F

3/2 wetsuit

Live Buoy 44100

7.2ft

13s

62 min ago

Tide

MID-TIDE · FALLING

1.5ft

Next low: in 3 hr 39 min

Swell Direction

100%

Wind Direction

20%

Primary Swell

4.4ft @ 8.5s

E 79°

Secondary Swell

1.1ft @ 5.1s

NE 52°

10 Day Outlook

6.5ft

TODAY

Oct 26

(10s)

6.0ft

TMRW

Oct 27

(12s)

4.5ft

WED

Oct 28

(11s)

4.3ft

THU

Oct 29

(9s)

4.2ft

FRI

Oct 30

(7s)

3.3ft

SAT

Oct 31

(7s)

4.5ft

SUN

Nov 1

(8s)

4.0ft

MON

Nov 2

(8s)

8.2ft

TUE

Nov 3

(8s)

5.4ft

WED

Nov 4

(8s)

Best this week: tmrw — 6.0ft

Best next week: TUE Nov 3 — 8.2ft

Incoming Swell Events

Today

moderate

Swell building to 6.5ft @ 10s

Day 9

solid

Swell building to 8.2ft @ 8s

Model Breakdown

ECMWF (45%)2.9ft

ICON (35%)5.2ft

GFS (20%)6.2ft

Model confidence25%

Updated every 30 mins · Open-Meteo ECMWF + ICON + GFS

About

Nags Head is the northern end of the main OBX surf zone, with Jennette's Pier serving as the central landmark. Long exposed beach break with sandbars that reshape through hurricane season. More accessible than Buxton, with a larger tourist infrastructure and more variety in accommodation.

The Break

Jennette's Pier is the main focal point; sandbars up and down the beach produce peaks.

Ideal Conditions

E/NE swell 3-10ft, offshore W/NW wind, mid tide

Best Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Best months highlighted · Current: Oct

Trip Planner

Nags Head Beach Break Weekend

Weekend · 3 Days

Friday

Fly to Norfolk (ORF), drive to Nags Head (2 hrs). Check Jennette's Pier area.

Saturday

Dawn patrol session. Explore sandbars up and down the beach.

Sunday

Morning session, pack up.

Nags Head Beach Break Week

Full Week · 7 Days

Day 1

Arrive Nags Head, settle near Jennette's Pier, scout the beach.

Day 2-4

Multiple sessions at different sandbar peaks along the beach.

Day 5

Final session, explore the pier area or head south toward Buxton.

Local Knowledge

Jennette's Pier has surf webcams and is the center of the local surf scene.

More accessible and developed than southern OBX.

Sandbars reshape constantly with swell windows.