Ocracoke
Hourly
Confidence
Compare
⏱️s.
⚡️kJ
Thursday 06
Friday 07
Saturday 08
Sunday 09
Monday 10
Tuesday 11
Tap a forecast cell to explore conditions on the map.
Timezone: America/New_York
Wind: GFS (20251105 18z)
Waves: GFS WAVE (20251105 18z)

Ocracoke surf guide

Ocracoke is a surf spot located in the southern part of the Outer Banks, known for its unique vibe and scenery. It can be a bit hit or miss for surfers, with plenty of reports of both disappointing sessions and some surprising fun. Only locals seem to know how to catch it at the right time, and this area often flies under the radar compared to the more popular spots. The waves here can be quick, and there's a lot of chatter about those perfect summer days when swells hit just right, but they can disappear just as fast.

The surf here mainly picks up from the South to Southeast, handling sizes from about 4ft to 7ft (1.2m to 2.1m). When the conditions are right, you can ride both lefts and rights over a sandy bottom. The best time to catch a good wave is during low to mid tides, especially with a Northwest wind. If you're a beginner or intermediate surfer, you might find Ocracoke has some decent options for you, but it's not the easiest spot to predict. You might want to bring a shortboard to make the most of it.

Access to the beach is pretty good with plenty of spots to drive on. Crowds aren't really a problem here, so you’ll have ample room to spread out and find your own piece of ocean. Just keep in mind that the surf is really dependent on seasonal factors like tropical storms in late summer and frontal activity from late fall through spring, so pick your time wisely to maximize your chances of scoring some decent waves.

Surf reports and surf forecasts nearby Ocracoke

Ocracoke
North Carolina, United States
Beach break
Thu 6
Fri 7
Sat 8
Sun 9
Mon 10
Tue 11
Wed 12
Thu 13
Fri 14
Sat 15
Sun 16
Mon 17
Frisco
North Carolina, United States
Beach break, Pier break
Thu 6
Fri 7
Sat 8
Sun 9
Mon 10
Tue 11
Wed 12
Thu 13
Fri 14
Sat 15
Sun 16
Mon 17
Frisco Pier
North Carolina, United States
Unknown break
Thu 6
Fri 7
Sat 8
Sun 9
Mon 10
Tue 11
Wed 12
Thu 13
Fri 14
Sat 15
Sun 16
Mon 17
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
North Carolina, United States
Beach break, Jetty break
Thu 6
Fri 7
Sat 8
Sun 9
Mon 10
Tue 11
Wed 12
Thu 13
Fri 14
Sat 15
Sun 16
Mon 17
The Lighthouse
North Carolina, United States
Unknown break
Thu 6
Fri 7
Sat 8
Sun 9
Mon 10
Tue 11
Wed 12
Thu 13
Fri 14
Sat 15
Sun 16
Mon 17
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Confidence

Confidence tells you how much the weather models agree on the forecast.

  • High confidence: Models agree closely; forecast is reliable.
  • Medium confidence: Some disagreement; conditions may shift slightly.
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We calculate the wind confidence by comparing wind speed, gust and direction from multiple models (like GFS, ECMWF, Arome, and Harmonie) and seeing how closely they match. For wave certainty we compare height, period and direction, also on multiple models. They are weighted, meaning that some models count more than others, depending on how good they are for a certain spot.

Readme

Welcome! If you’re new to surf forecasting, check out this quick guide.

Forecast Table

The forecast table (the section on the page with all the numbers) is designed to pack as much information in the screen as possible. Although intimidating at first, it will help you make informed decisions about the waves faster, trust me :D. The table consists of roughly four sections, time and predictions, wind, waves, and tides:

🔮 Time and predictions section

Here we show the forecast thour and the overall surf quality prediction. This is determined based on the wave, wind and tide quality prediction. These individual predictions can be found on the forecast map.

💨 Wind section

The first row on the table (with the 💨 icon) shows wind speed, direction and gust. The more the wind speed the more aggressive the color (from blue, green, orange to red).

🌊 Wave section

The waves section consists of three rows, one for wave height and direction, one for period and one for wave energy. Our algorithm choices the "dominant wave". This is normally the first swell partition, but with heavy local storms it displays the wind waves. If that's the case, we display the numbers in italic and in gray.

🌒 Tide section

The tide section consists of a row with the actual heights per hour (measured at the half hour) and a table that displays the flow of the tide and the extremes (lows and highs).

Forecast map

The forecast map consists of arrows. These arrows represent all wave partitions (swell partitions and wind wave partition) and the wind. This allows you to see things like: a secondary swell or wind waves messes up the surf, or the wind is just a tick offshore so very surfable. Click a metric label in the bottom left to bring that arrow to the front — handy when arrows overlap.

Forecast Cheat Sheet

Short on time? Focus on wave energy. It’s the best single metric to gauge how big and powerful the waves will be.

Click any table cell to jump to that forecast hour. The map will update with forecast arrows, so you can see if wind and swell direction are lining up.

Use the table sidebar to switch units for height and speed.

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Surfnerd blends multiple global and local wind and swell models using advanced interpolation and spatial techniques to create an "ensemble" forecast. Forecasts are refreshed hourly.

Surf Predictions

Our AI-driven algorithm scores surf quality, shown by green, orange, and gray dots. Each forecast hour is rated for wind, swell, and tide quality, then combined into an overall score. Here’s the scale:

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