Crystal Pier surf forecast
Wrightsville Beach · North Carolina · United States
Today at Crystal Pier: best around 11:00, 0.6 m at 8 s with cross-offshore wind. Poor for intermediate surfers, poor for beginners, poor for advanced. Updated 20 Oct, 06:50 UTC.
Crystal Pier surf forecast, next 7 days
The best daylight hour of each day, rated for each level. No day rates Good for intermediate surfers this week.
| Day | Best time | Surf | Period | Wind | Beginner | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today | 11:00 | 0.6 m | 8 s | cross-offshore | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| Tomorrow | 08:00 | 0.5 m | 5 s | cross-offshore | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| Thursday 22 Oct | 08:00 | 0.3 m | 7 s | cross-offshore | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| Friday 23 Oct | 10:00 | 0.2 m | 7 s | cross-shore | Flat | Flat | Flat |
| Saturday 24 Oct | 08:00 | 0.4 m | 5 s | cross-shore | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| Sunday 25 Oct | 16:00 | 0.5 m | 6 s | cross-onshore | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| Monday 26 Oct | 09:00 | 0.5 m | 6 s | cross-shore | Poor | Poor | Poor |
Model forecast updated 20 Oct, 06:50 UTC. Hour by hour with swell direction, tide and webcams: open the live forecast.
Peaks on either side of Crystal Pier, the 1939 wooden pier at the Oceanic restaurant on Wrightsville's south end. East to southeast swell with a west to northwest wind and mid tide gives the best shape, and it is among the island's busier lineups. Surfing is banned within 350 feet of the pier, so the takeoffs sit well up or down the beach; for more room walk north toward the Carolina Yacht Club.
- Break
- beach break, lefts and rights; faces SE
- Level
- intermediate
- Best swell
- ENE, E, ESE, SE
- Best wind
- W, WNW, NW (offshore)
- Best tide
- mid tide
- Season
- Aug-Nov hurricane swell; winter nor'easters
- Typical size
- 0.5-2 m
- Crowd
- high
- Hazards
- No surfing within 350 ft of Crystal Pier (Beach Access 36-37) at any time; Crowded lineups just outside the pier buffer; Memorial Day-Labor Day: no surfing in front of staffed lifeguard stands; Rips along the pilings; Water drops to about 10-13 °C in Jan-Mar: 4/3 mm wetsuit and boots; trunks from June to September
Best time to surf Crystal Pier
For intermediate surfers the best months are August: in August about 2 days have rideable waves and 0 rate good or better. It is rarely small and clean enough for beginners. Experienced surfers looking for size and power: August. Local guides: Aug-Nov hurricane swell; winter nor'easters.
Water 10 °C in February to 30 °C in July: 6/5 mm hooded in winter (boots + gloves), Boardshorts / rash vest at the warmest.
| Month | Rideable days | Good days | Beginner days | Typical size | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 °C |
| Feb | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 °C |
| Mar | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.9 m | 14 °C |
| Apr | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 °C |
| May | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 °C |
| Jun | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 °C |
| Jul | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 °C |
| Aug | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.2 m | 29 °C |
| Sep | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.3 m | 27 °C |
| Oct | 0 | 0 | 1 | – | 23 °C |
| Nov | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 18 °C |
| Dec | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.9 m | 13 °C |
Days per month, typical of the last three years of wave and wind model data, rated with the same scale as the forecast. Not a forecast: some years are better than others.
More surf spots nearby: surf spots in Wrightsville Beach.
Nearby spots
- Masonboro Inlet, Wrightsville Beach
- Wrightsville Beach, Wrightsville Beach
- Mason Inlet, Wrightsville Beach
- Surf City Pier, Surf City
- Bogue Inlet Pier, Emerald Isle
- Triple S Pier, Atlantic Beach
Questions
When is the best time to surf Crystal Pier?
For intermediate surfers August; in August about 2 days a month have rideable waves and 0 are good or better. Local guides say: Aug-Nov hurricane swell; winter nor'easters.
What is the water temperature at Crystal Pier and which wetsuit do I need?
The sea ranges from about 10 °C in February to 30 °C in July. Wear a 6/5 mm hooded in the coldest months and a Boardshorts / rash vest in the warmest.
Is Crystal Pier good for beginners?
It is best for intermediate surfers (no surfing within 350 ft of crystal pier (beach access 36-37) at any time; crowded lineups just outside the pier buffer). Beginners nearby can try Wrightsville Beach, Wrightsville Beach.
What swell, wind and tide work best at Crystal Pier?
ENE, E, ESE, SE swell, W, WNW, NW wind (offshore), at mid tide. Typical size 0.5-2 m.
Live swell, wind, tide, a 14-day outlook, satellite pictures and webcams for Crystal Pier are in the Surf Spoting app.