Surf spot

Nags Head

Forecast conditions and map view for Nags Head in USA, South East, North Carolina. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, South East, North Carolina
Coordinates: 35.9512, -75.6194

Metric
Metric	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00
Wave height (m)	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.4	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.4	0.5	1	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5
Wave direction	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	E	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE
Wave period (s)	6.8	7.9	8.3	7.8	7.5	7.8	8	8.3	7.5	6.8	7	7.1	7.5	7.7	8	8.2	8	8.1	8	7.8	7.5	7.7	7.6	7.2	6.8	6.7	7	6.8	6.7	6.8	6.3	6.5	6.9	5.3	6	5.7	5	5.8	6.8	6.2	5.8	5.8	5.7	5.5	5.3	5	5.3	5.2	5	5	4.8	5.3	5.3	5.5	5.5	5.5
Wave energy (kJ)	5	5	5	5	4	5	5	6	4	5	7	7	8	8	9	9	9	9	10	11	10	11	10	11	9	8	9	8	8	8	5	5	5	3	9	20	19	21	13	18	64	56	46	39	37	34	29	26	22	21	16	17	18	16	14	13
Wind speed (km/h)	13.4	8.8	9.2	5.4	11.9	12.1	9.1	7.1	3.6	2.5	6.3	11.3	14.7	14.1	12.8	13.6	7.6	6.8	8.7	10.6	6.1	6.6	1.3	3.3	3.7	1.5	5.8	9.8	11.4	11.7	12.7	12.6	16.2	13.7	15.9	15.3	14	14.2	12.3	12.8	10.9	7.9	9.4	10.5	11.6	9.8	8.9	7.3	8.4	6.6	7.2	8.2	13	11.9	9.2	7.9
Wind direction	SWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WOffshore	EOnshore	SSECross	SCross-off	SSWCross-off	SWGlassy	SGlassy	SSECross	SSECross	SSECross	SCross	SCross-off	SSWCross-off	WOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WNWCross-off	WOffshore	SWGlassy	NWGlassy	NNEGlassy	NEGlassy	NCross	NNECross-on	NECross-on	NEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	NEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	EOnshore	EOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	EOnshore	EOnshore	ESECross-on	EOnshore	EOnshore	NEOnshore	ENEOnshore	SECross-on	SECross-on	SECross-on	SSECross	SSECross

Nags Head, North Carolina is a classic Outer Banks surf spot on the Atlantic coast of the USA, known for its long stretches of sand beach, consistent but sometimes fickle swell, and a laid-back, beach-town surf vibe.

Spot overview

Location: Nags Head, Dare County, North Carolina
Region: Southeast USA / Outer Banks
Wave type: Primarily beachbreak
Best for: Beginners to advanced surfers, depending on the swell and sandbars
Crowds: Can range from light to busy, especially in summer and during hurricane swell events

Wave characteristics

Shape: Fast, peaky beachbreak waves with shifting sandbars
Quality: Can be very fun when sandbars line up; often inconsistent
Power: Usually mellow to moderate, but can get powerful during tropical systems and strong nor’easters
Size range: Typically small to head-high, but much larger surf is possible during major storm swells

Conditions and seasonality

Best swell direction: Often works well with swell from the east to southeast
Best wind: Offshore or light west/northwest winds
Best tide: Varies by sandbar; many sections improve around mid tide
Best seasons:
Fall: Often the best overall, with cleaner conditions and hurricane season swell
Winter: Can produce strong groundswell and big storm surf
Spring/Summer: More small-wave days, though local wind swell and storm pulses still occur

Hazards and notes

Rip currents can be strong and frequent
Sandbars shift often, so the best peak can move from week to week
Tropical storms and hurricanes can produce heavy, powerful surf and dangerous conditions
Some areas may be more crowded near public accesses and piers

Overall vibe

Nags Head is a reliable East Coast surf destination rather than a perfectly consistent world-class reef break. Its appeal comes from fun beachbreak variety, storm-swell potential, and accessible surf along a scenic barrier island.