Outer Banks North Carolina · Wednesday, Sep 23

Kitty Hawk

NWS MHX · NCZ203; official reef-face range: 8–11 ft

Updated Tue, Sep 22, 8:20 PM EDT

When to go

11:00 AM–1:00 PM

Strong wind — difficult conditions · Low confidence

6.0–6.3 ft · Offshore waves · not face height

Strong wind: 21.0 kt · cross-shore

Cautions

Strong wind or gusts up to 26.6 kt can make the session difficult; being first in the list does not make conditions good.
Strong wind or gusts up to 27.4 kt can make the session difficult; being first in the list does not make conditions good.
Strong wind or gusts up to 29.7 kt can make the session difficult; being first in the list does not make conditions good.

Forecast details

This is the best time in the forecast, though wind may make it choppy.

Other wind windows

Plan around the wind

The best available upcoming daylight wind sample to compare with the wave evidence. This compares wind only; wave size, tide suitability, and hazards can change your choice.

11:00 AM–1:00 PM · America/New_York
Strong wind · up to 21.0 kt · reported gusts up to 29.7 kt
Caution: This is the best available wind comparison, not a favorable-wind label. Strong wind remains in the selected evidence.
Offshore waves: 6.0–6.3 ft across the period. Surf height unavailable. Tide data available; check the local tide response.
Wind source time: Sep 22, 7:45 PM EDT. This is not the model run issue time.

How these periods are chosen

The planner prefers three consecutive hourly samples covering two daylight hours, but retains shorter one- or two-sample evidence when that is all the forecast provides. Light wind means at most 6 kt. Moderate offshore means at most 12 kt from land toward the sea when shore orientation is verified. Strong wind or known gusts of 20 kt or more remain visible as cautions instead of making the entire comparison disappear. These are comparison labels, not locally tested surf-quality or safety ratings. Missing gusts remain unknown. Terrain shelter, currents, closures, and your ability are not assessed.

Forecast confidence

Returned marine grid point is 1.7 km from the mapped spot. Provider grid resolution is not established for this response.
Reference model hour: 12 hours from now; historical residuals do not measure forecast lead-time error.
No accepted local model for these inputs: missing history, unsupported direction/period/height, or failed historical validation.
A mapped coordinate does not establish nearshore grid resolution or terrain/shelter accuracy.

Wind N 21.1 kt

Tide 2.5 ft falling

Wave, wind and tide details

Offshore model swellE 0.6 ft @ 8sValid 2026-09-23 08:00 · America/New_YorkMarine grid 36.1250, -75.7083 · offshore model, not a local measurement

Offshore model sea5.8 ft @ 7.0sSignificant wave height including wind waves and swell; not breaking surfValid 2026-09-23 08:00 · America/New_York

Model windN 21.1 ktcross-shoreValid 2026-09-23 08:00 · America/New_York3.7 kt onshore component

Tide2.5 ftfallingNOAA Duck 8651370 · 8.8 km from Kitty Hawk · predicted height relative to MLLWRetrieved Sep 22, 8:28 PM EDT · provider issue time unavailable60% of adjacent local low–high range · descriptive, not a safety rating

NWS MHX · NCZ203

Rip Current Risk*...........High. Surf Height.................8 to 11 feet. Thunderstorm Potential**....Low. UV Index**..................Low. Water Temperature...........In the upper 70s. Weather.....................Mostly cloudy. Rain likely and a slight chance of thunderstorms. High Temperature............In the upper 70s. Winds.......................Windy. Northeast winds 25 to 30 mph. Tides... Duck Pier................Low 0.9 feet (MLLW) 11:31 AM EDT. High 3.7 feet (MLLW) 05:54 PM EDT.

WEDNESDAYOfficial breaking-surf height for Northern Outer Banks; forecast-zone range, not a calibrated break transformationIssued Sep 22, 8:09 PM EDT

Surf height unavailable. Coastal and offshore waves are not breaking-wave heights.

Surf and wind

Recommended window: No recommended window

Breaking surf is not reliably resolved. Hourly offshore swell and wind inputs are listed below.

Hourly forecast

Hourly surf forecast for Kitty Hawk
Time	Wind	Tide	Offshore swell
12 AM	NNE 17.2 ktcross-shore	1 ftrising	E 0.8 ft @ 8s
1 AM	NNE 19 ktcross-shore	1.5 ftrising	E 0.9 ft @ 8s
2 AM	NNE 20.4 ktcross-shore	2 ftrising	E 1.0 ft @ 8s
3 AM	NNE 21.5 ktcross-shore	2 ftrising	E 0.9 ft @ 8s
4 AM	NNE 21.4 ktcross-shore	2.5 ftrising	E 0.7 ft @ 9s
5 AM	NNE 22.4 ktcross-shore	3 ftrising	E 0.6 ft @ 10s
6 AM	NNE 21.5 ktcross-shore	3 ftfalling	E 0.6 ft @ 9s
7 AM	NNE 21.5 ktcross-shore	2.5 ftfalling	E 0.6 ft @ 8s
8 AM	N 21.1 ktcross-shore	2.5 ftfalling	E 0.6 ft @ 8s
9 AM	N 21.4 ktcross-shore	2 ftfalling	E 0.5 ft @ 8s
10 AM	N 22.8 ktcross-shore	1.5 ftfalling	E 0.5 ft @ 9s
11 AM	NNE 18.4 ktcross-shore	1 ftnear low	E 0.5 ft @ 10s
Noon	NE 19.3 ktcross-shore	1 ftrising	E 0.5 ft @ 10s
1 PM	NE 21 ktcross-shore	1.5 ftrising	E 0.5 ft @ 10s
2 PM	NE 21.5 ktcross-shore	2 ftrising	E 0.6 ft @ 10s
3 PM	NE 22 ktcross-shore	2.5 ftrising	E 0.8 ft @ 10s
4 PM	NE 24.2 ktcross-shore	3 ftrising	E 1.1 ft @ 10s
5 PM	NNE 24 ktcross-shore	3.5 ftrising	E 1.2 ft @ 9s
6 PM	NNE 23.1 ktcross-shore	3.5 ftfalling	E 1.2 ft @ 9s
7 PM	NNE 23.5 ktcross-shore	3 ftfalling	E 1.1 ft @ 10s
8 PM	NNE 23.2 ktcross-shore	2.5 ftfalling	E 1.0 ft @ 10s
9 PM	NNE 23.1 ktcross-shore	2 ftfalling	E 0.9 ft @ 10s
10 PM	NNE 25.2 ktcross-shore	2 ftfalling	E 0.9 ft @ 10s
11 PM	NNE 25.1 ktcross-shore	1.5 ftfalling	E 0.9 ft @ 9s

12 AMUnavailable

WindNNE 17.2 ktcross-shoreTide1 ftrisingOffshore swellE 0.8 ft @ 8s

1 AMUnavailable

WindNNE 19 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftrisingOffshore swellE 0.9 ft @ 8s

2 AMUnavailable

WindNNE 20.4 ktcross-shoreTide2 ftrisingOffshore swellE 1.0 ft @ 8s

3 AMUnavailable

WindNNE 21.5 ktcross-shoreTide2 ftrisingOffshore swellE 0.9 ft @ 8s

4 AMUnavailable

WindNNE 21.4 ktcross-shoreTide2.5 ftrisingOffshore swellE 0.7 ft @ 9s

5 AMUnavailable

WindNNE 22.4 ktcross-shoreTide3 ftrisingOffshore swellE 0.6 ft @ 10s

6 AMUnavailable

WindNNE 21.5 ktcross-shoreTide3 ftfallingOffshore swellE 0.6 ft @ 9s

7 AMUnavailable

WindNNE 21.5 ktcross-shoreTide2.5 ftfallingOffshore swellE 0.6 ft @ 8s

8 AMUnavailable

WindN 21.1 ktcross-shoreTide2.5 ftfallingOffshore swellE 0.6 ft @ 8s

9 AMUnavailable

WindN 21.4 ktcross-shoreTide2 ftfallingOffshore swellE 0.5 ft @ 8s

10 AMUnavailable

WindN 22.8 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftfallingOffshore swellE 0.5 ft @ 9s

11 AMUnavailable

WindNNE 18.4 ktcross-shoreTide1 ftnear lowOffshore swellE 0.5 ft @ 10s

NoonUnavailable

WindNE 19.3 ktcross-shoreTide1 ftrisingOffshore swellE 0.5 ft @ 10s

1 PMUnavailable

WindNE 21 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftrisingOffshore swellE 0.5 ft @ 10s

2 PMUnavailable

WindNE 21.5 ktcross-shoreTide2 ftrisingOffshore swellE 0.6 ft @ 10s

3 PMUnavailable

WindNE 22 ktcross-shoreTide2.5 ftrisingOffshore swellE 0.8 ft @ 10s

4 PMUnavailable

WindNE 24.2 ktcross-shoreTide3 ftrisingOffshore swellE 1.1 ft @ 10s

5 PMUnavailable

WindNNE 24 ktcross-shoreTide3.5 ftrisingOffshore swellE 1.2 ft @ 9s

6 PMUnavailable

WindNNE 23.1 ktcross-shoreTide3.5 ftfallingOffshore swellE 1.2 ft @ 9s

7 PMUnavailable

WindNNE 23.5 ktcross-shoreTide3 ftfallingOffshore swellE 1.1 ft @ 10s

8 PMUnavailable

WindNNE 23.2 ktcross-shoreTide2.5 ftfallingOffshore swellE 1.0 ft @ 10s

9 PMUnavailable

WindNNE 23.1 ktcross-shoreTide2 ftfallingOffshore swellE 0.9 ft @ 10s

10 PMUnavailable

WindNNE 25.2 ktcross-shoreTide2 ftfallingOffshore swellE 0.9 ft @ 10s

11 PMUnavailable

WindNNE 25.1 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftfallingOffshore swellE 0.9 ft @ 9s

Tide

NOAA Duck 8651370 · 8.8 km from Kitty Hawk · MLLW

Interpolated tide height Recommended window

About this spot

Model-grid forecast requested at the mapped coordinate; reef, headland, and nearshore transformations are unresolved. Beach/pier break.

Mapped spot coordinate: 36.11, -75.71.

Mainland · Coast not verified · Ocean-facing bearing 90° · Location provenance

Model request point: Kitty Hawk (36.11, -75.71). Model output times describe valid conditions; the provider does not expose the model run issue time in this response.

Forecast sources

Data coverage 4/4 sources

Source availability is not forecast accuracy. Where an empirical model passes historical testing, its error and interval coverage are shown above. Source count cannot increase that confidence.

Coverage tier A · US_EAST · spot-level model point

NWS MHX · NCZ203; official reef-face range8–11 ftCurrent · Sep 22, 8:09 PM EDT

NWS MHX · NCZ203
NWS MHX · NCZ203; Official breaking-surf height for Northern Outer Banks; forecast-zone range, not a calibrated break transformationCurrentSep 22, 8:09 PM EDT
NOAA NDBC real-time station files
Current buoy observations are not forecasts for the selected future date.Not applicableNo source time
NOAA CO-OPS Tides and Currents API
NOAA Duck 8651370 · 8.8 km from Kitty Hawk; predicted high/low events above MLLW, converted to feet. Timestamp is retrieval time; provider issue time is not supplied.CurrentSep 22, 8:28 PM EDT
Open-Meteo Marine API
1 of 1 configured model points availableCurrentSep 22, 7:45 PM EDT
Open-Meteo Weather API
1 of 1 configured model points availableCurrentSep 22, 7:45 PM EDT
Surf-Forecast public pages
Spot discovery and break-specific HTML fallbackNot applicableNo source time
Surfline public spot pages
Break-specific comparison, cams, and metadataNot applicableNo source time

How best guesses are made

Best guesses combine usable wave and wind evidence, with qualitative confidence and specific limitations. A missing tide or local surf-height model does not prevent useful guidance. Tide levels use the named station datum; their effect at this break remains uncertain. Wind direction is relative to the mapped beach orientation, without calibrated terrain or shelter effects. The comparison is a heuristic, not a measured quality rating.