Surf spot

S-Turns

Forecast conditions and map view for S-Turns 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: 35.6078, -75.4649

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)	0.3	0.2	0.3	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	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.5	0.6	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.8	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.5	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4
Wave direction	SSE	SSE	SSW	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	SSE	ESE	SSE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	SE	SE	ESE	E	E	ENE	ENE	E	E	E	ENE	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	ENE	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	ENE	ESE	E	E	E	E	ENE	ENE
Wave period (s)	3.3	3.4	2.4	7.2	7.5	7.5	7.5	7.6	7.6	7.5	7.3	7.4	7.3	7.1	7.2	3.9	6.9	4	7.3	7.2	7.2	7.2	6.6	7	6.8	6.5	7.3	6	5.8	6	7	7	6	6.1	6.2	6.3	6	6	6	6	5.7	5.7	5.9	6	5.7	5.3	5.3	5	5.5	4.4	5.2	5.1	4.3	4.4	4.7	4.5
Wave energy (kJ)	1	1	1	6	8	8	9	10	10	12	11	13	12	12	11	3	9	3	8	8	8	7	7	6	4	4	7	17	21	9	7	10	46	48	46	41	47	45	42	38	38	32	23	24	30	29	24	19	14	7	13	12	10	8	6	5
Wind speed (km/h)	9.4	6	10.1	9.3	13.4	19.6	23.1	18.8	22.2	21.9	25.7	22.9	21.9	26.6	25.5	25.8	18.3	15.7	12	12	39.1	40.8	41.3	40.1	37.1	34.6	34.4	33.1	34.8	36.5	37.7	31.6	28.7	31.2	34.1	38	39.4	38.2	33.3	23	14.9	16	12.8	9.8	8.5	10.6	12.2	17.3	16	9.7	9.9	8.9	10.7	14.8	10.7	14.2
Wind direction	WCross-off	SSECross-off	SSECross-off	SSECross-off	SCross-off	SSWOffshore	SWOffshore	SWOffshore	SWOffshore	SWOffshore	SWOffshore	SWOffshore	SWOffshore	SWOffshore	SWOffshore	SWOffshore	WSWOffshore	NWCross	NWCross	NCross-on	NBlown out	NNEBlown out	NNEBlown out	NNEBlown out	NEBlown out	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEBlown out	NEBlown out	NEOnshore	NNEOnshore	NNEOnshore	NEOnshore	NNEBlown out	NNEBlown out	NEBlown out	NEOnshore	ECross-on	ECross-on	ESECross-on	ESECross-on	SECross	SSECross-off	SSECross-off	SSECross-off	SSECross-off	SSECross-off	SCross-off	SSWOffshore	SSWCross-off	SSWCross-off	SCross-off	SSECross-off	SCross-off

S-Turns, North Carolina, USA — Surf Spot Description

S-Turns is a well-known Outer Banks surf break in North Carolina, located along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. It’s called “S-Turns” because the nearby highway once made a series of S-shaped curves along the coast. The spot is popular for its consistent Atlantic swell exposure and relatively easy beach access.

What it’s like

Wave type: Beach break
Conditions: Works best with swells from the east to southeast, and can handle winds from the west or northwest offshore directions.
Wave quality: Can offer fun, punchy surf with occasional hollow sections, especially when sandbars line up well.
Crowds: Popular, especially during good swell windows and in peak season, but usually spread out due to the long beach.

Best for

Intermediate surfers looking for a consistent beach break
Advanced surfers when conditions get bigger and more powerful
Beginners can surf smaller days, though currents and shifting sandbars can make it tricky

Hazards / things to know

Strong currents and rip currents can be present
Sandbars shift often, so the wave quality changes from day to day
Can get powerful and challenging during hurricane swells
Best surf conditions often come with changing weather and quick shifts in sand placement

Typical vibe

S-Turns has a classic Outer Banks feel: open beach, Atlantic wind and swell exposure, and a surf scene shaped by seasonal swell, storms, and local sandbar conditions. It’s the kind of spot that can be average one day and excellent the next if the bars line up.