A quiet day: no spot here rates Fair or better today.
Forecast updated 20 Oct, 01:03 UTC.
The spots
Rodanthe Pier · beach break, intermediate, best on NE/ENE/E/SE swell with WSW/W/WNW wind, low to mid tide. Rodanthe's pier faces due east on Hatteras Island and breaks on swell from the south around to the north. Northeast swell with a west wind and low to mid tide works…
Avon Pier · beach break, intermediate, best on NE/E/SE/SSE swell with WSW/W/WNW wind, low to mid tide. Avon's fishing pier, midway down Hatteras Island, faces east-southeast, so it picks up both northeast storm swell and south-southeast hurricane swell. A west wind is…
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse · beach break, intermediate, best on NE/ENE/E/SE swell with W/WNW/NW wind, low to mid tide. Sandbars between the three old Navy groins at Buxton's former lighthouse site take swell from the south around to the north, so something breaks most days. Northeast…
Nags Head Pier · beach break, intermediate, best on NE/ENE/E/SE swell with WSW/W/WNW wind, all tides. Nags Head Fishing Pier, at milepost 12, has drawn surfers since the 1960s. Sandbars on either side of it work on northeast to southeast swell with a west wind at any…
Avalon Pier · beach break, intermediate, best on NE/ENE/E/SE swell with WSW/W/WNW wind, all tides. Avalon Pier, at milepost 6 in Kill Devil Hills, has sandbars on both sides that work on northeast to southeast swell and a west wind at any tide. It draws a steady…
Kitty Hawk Pier · beach break, intermediate, best on NE/E/ESE/SE swell with WSW/W/WNW wind, all tides. The Kitty Hawk Pier belongs to the oceanfront Hilton Garden Inn and has sandbars on both sides that work on southeast and east swell with a west wind. It is busy when…
When to surf in Outer Banks
Best months for intermediate surfers: February. For beginners: February. The water goes from about 7 °C in February (6/5 mm hooded) to 28 °C in July (Boardshorts / rash vest). Best-known spots: Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.
Days per month at the best third of the 6 spots for each level, from three years of wave and wind model data.
Questions
What are the best surf spots in Outer Banks?
The best-known are Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Avalon Pier, Kitty Hawk Pier, Nags Head Pier. In all, 6 spots lie within 57 km: 6 beach breaks.
Where can beginners surf in Outer Banks?
Outer Banks is mostly for intermediate and advanced surfers: reefs, points or powerful beach breaks. Beginners should take a lesson and stay on the smallest days.
When is the best time to surf in Outer Banks?
For intermediate surfers February. For beginners February.
What wetsuit do I need to surf in Outer Banks?
The sea goes from about 7 °C in February (6/5 mm hooded) to 28 °C in July (Boardshorts / rash vest).