Southeast North Carolina · Wednesday, Sep 23

Wrightsville Beach

NWS ILM · NCZ108; official reef-face range: 2–4 ft

Updated Tue, Sep 22, 8:30 PM EDT

When to go

Around 1:00 PM

Windy · Low confidence

3.3–3.3 ft · Offshore waves · not face height

Wind: 11.1 kt · cross-shore

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.

1:00 PM–3:00 PM · America/New_York
Unfavorable wind · up to 12.3 kt · reported gusts up to 19.8 kt
Caution: This is the best available wind comparison, not a favorable-wind label. The selected wind is unfavorable for this break.
Offshore waves: 3.3–3.4 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 0.2 km from the mapped spot. Provider grid resolution is not established for this response.
Reference model hour: 11 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 10.3 kt

Tide 2.5 ft falling

Wave, wind and tide details

Offshore model swellE 2.2 ft @ 5sValid 2026-09-23 08:00 · America/New_YorkMarine grid 34.2083, -77.7917 · offshore model, not a local measurement

Offshore model sea2.8 ft @ 4.8sSignificant wave height including wind waves and swell; not breaking surfValid 2026-09-23 08:00 · America/New_York

Model windN 10.3 ktcross-shoreValid 2026-09-23 08:00 · America/New_York5.8 kt offshore component

Tide2.5 ftfallingNOAA Wrightsville Beach 8658163 · 0.5 km from Wrightsville Beach · predicted height relative to MLLWRetrieved Sep 22, 8:31 PM EDT · provider issue time unavailable57% of adjacent local low–high range · descriptive, not a safety rating

NWS ILM · NCZ108

Rip Current Risk*...........Moderate. Surf Height.................2 to 4 feet. Thunderstorm Potential**....Moderate. Waterspout Risk**...........Moderate. UV Index**..................Moderate. Water Temperature...........In the lower 80s. Weather.....................Partly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. High Temperature............Around 80. Winds.......................Northeast winds around 20 mph. Tides... Mercer Pier..............Low at 11:30 AM EDT. High at 05:50 PM EDT. Remarks.....................Strong north to south longshore current.

WEDNESDAYOfficial breaking-surf height for Coastal New Hanover; forecast-zone range, not a calibrated break transformationIssued Sep 22, 8:01 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 Wrightsville Beach
Time	Wind	Tide	Offshore swell
12 AM	N 7.4 ktcross-shore	1.5 ftrising	E 2.1 ft @ 4s
1 AM	N 6.1 ktoffshore	2 ftrising	E 2.2 ft @ 4s
2 AM	NNW 8.2 ktoffshore	2.5 ftrising	E 2.2 ft @ 5s
3 AM	N 7.5 ktoffshore	3 ftrising	E 2.2 ft @ 5s
4 AM	N 9.6 ktoffshore	3.5 ftrising	E 2.1 ft @ 5s
5 AM	NNE 10.4 ktcross-shore	4 ftnear high	E 2.1 ft @ 5s
6 AM	NNE 12.1 ktcross-shore	3.5 ftfalling	E 2.1 ft @ 5s
7 AM	NNE 11.5 ktcross-shore	3 ftfalling	E 2.2 ft @ 5s
8 AM	N 10.3 ktcross-shore	2.5 ftfalling	E 2.2 ft @ 5s
9 AM	NNE 11.6 ktcross-shore	2 ftfalling	E 2.1 ft @ 5s
10 AM	NNE 11.9 ktcross-shore	1.5 ftfalling	E 2.0 ft @ 5s
11 AM	NNE 12.9 ktcross-shore	1 ftnear low	E 1.9 ft @ 5s
Noon	NNE 13.9 ktcross-shore	1 ftrising	E 2.0 ft @ 6s
1 PM	NNE 11.1 ktcross-shore	2 ftrising	E 2.1 ft @ 6s
2 PM	N 12.1 ktcross-shore	2.5 ftrising	E 2.2 ft @ 6s
3 PM	N 12.3 ktcross-shore	3 ftrising	E 2.2 ft @ 6s
4 PM	N 13.4 ktoffshore	3.5 ftrising	E 2.2 ft @ 6s
5 PM	N 12.6 ktoffshore	4 ftrising	E 2.2 ft @ 6s
6 PM	N 11.8 ktoffshore	4.5 ftfalling	E 2.2 ft @ 6s
7 PM	N 11.2 ktoffshore	4 ftfalling	ENE 2.2 ft @ 5s
8 PM	NNW 10 ktoffshore	3.5 ftfalling	ENE 2.2 ft @ 5s
9 PM	N 9.4 ktoffshore	2.5 ftfalling	ENE 2.3 ft @ 5s
10 PM	N 9.2 ktcross-shore	2 ftfalling	ENE 2.4 ft @ 6s
11 PM	N 11.8 ktcross-shore	1.5 ftfalling	ENE 2.6 ft @ 6s

12 AMUnavailable

WindN 7.4 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftrisingOffshore swellE 2.1 ft @ 4s

1 AMUnavailable

WindN 6.1 ktoffshoreTide2 ftrisingOffshore swellE 2.2 ft @ 4s

2 AMUnavailable

WindNNW 8.2 ktoffshoreTide2.5 ftrisingOffshore swellE 2.2 ft @ 5s

3 AMUnavailable

WindN 7.5 ktoffshoreTide3 ftrisingOffshore swellE 2.2 ft @ 5s

4 AMUnavailable

WindN 9.6 ktoffshoreTide3.5 ftrisingOffshore swellE 2.1 ft @ 5s

5 AMUnavailable

WindNNE 10.4 ktcross-shoreTide4 ftnear highOffshore swellE 2.1 ft @ 5s

6 AMUnavailable

WindNNE 12.1 ktcross-shoreTide3.5 ftfallingOffshore swellE 2.1 ft @ 5s

7 AMUnavailable

WindNNE 11.5 ktcross-shoreTide3 ftfallingOffshore swellE 2.2 ft @ 5s

8 AMUnavailable

WindN 10.3 ktcross-shoreTide2.5 ftfallingOffshore swellE 2.2 ft @ 5s

9 AMUnavailable

WindNNE 11.6 ktcross-shoreTide2 ftfallingOffshore swellE 2.1 ft @ 5s

10 AMUnavailable

WindNNE 11.9 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftfallingOffshore swellE 2.0 ft @ 5s

11 AMUnavailable

WindNNE 12.9 ktcross-shoreTide1 ftnear lowOffshore swellE 1.9 ft @ 5s

NoonUnavailable

WindNNE 13.9 ktcross-shoreTide1 ftrisingOffshore swellE 2.0 ft @ 6s

1 PMUnavailable

WindNNE 11.1 ktcross-shoreTide2 ftrisingOffshore swellE 2.1 ft @ 6s

2 PMUnavailable

WindN 12.1 ktcross-shoreTide2.5 ftrisingOffshore swellE 2.2 ft @ 6s

3 PMUnavailable

WindN 12.3 ktcross-shoreTide3 ftrisingOffshore swellE 2.2 ft @ 6s

4 PMUnavailable

WindN 13.4 ktoffshoreTide3.5 ftrisingOffshore swellE 2.2 ft @ 6s

5 PMUnavailable

WindN 12.6 ktoffshoreTide4 ftrisingOffshore swellE 2.2 ft @ 6s

6 PMUnavailable

WindN 11.8 ktoffshoreTide4.5 ftfallingOffshore swellE 2.2 ft @ 6s

7 PMUnavailable

WindN 11.2 ktoffshoreTide4 ftfallingOffshore swellENE 2.2 ft @ 5s

8 PMUnavailable

WindNNW 10 ktoffshoreTide3.5 ftfallingOffshore swellENE 2.2 ft @ 5s

9 PMUnavailable

WindN 9.4 ktoffshoreTide2.5 ftfallingOffshore swellENE 2.3 ft @ 5s

10 PMUnavailable

WindN 9.2 ktcross-shoreTide2 ftfallingOffshore swellENE 2.4 ft @ 6s

11 PMUnavailable

WindN 11.8 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftfallingOffshore swellENE 2.6 ft @ 6s

Tide

NOAA Wrightsville Beach 8658163 · 0.5 km from Wrightsville Beach · 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 break.

Mapped spot coordinate: 34.21, -77.79.

Mainland · Coast not verified · Ocean-facing bearing 135° · Location provenance

Model request point: Southeast North Carolina (34.21, -77.79). 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 ILM · NCZ108; official reef-face range2–4 ftCurrent · Sep 22, 8:01 PM EDT

NWS ILM · NCZ108
NWS ILM · NCZ108; Official breaking-surf height for Coastal New Hanover; forecast-zone range, not a calibrated break transformationCurrentSep 22, 8:01 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 Wrightsville Beach 8658163 · 0.5 km from Wrightsville Beach; predicted high/low events above MLLW, converted to feet. Timestamp is retrieval time; provider issue time is not supplied.CurrentSep 22, 8:31 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.