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Nags Head

Nags Head, North Carolina· South Atlantic Coast

Open Atlantic beach on the Outer Banks, fully exposed to swell and wind with a pronounced sandbar and trough. Strong currents are common, and the same exposure that makes the surf and fishing good makes swimming conditions worth checking carefully.

Updated Sep 25,

Coastal Flood Advisory

Coastal Flood Advisory issued September 25 at 10:04AM EDT until September 26 at 11:00AM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

In effect until 11:00 AM. Issued by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC. Read the full alert

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued September 25 at 10:04AM EDT until September 25 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

In effect until 8:00 PM. Issued by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC. Read the full alert

High Surf Advisory

High Surf Advisory issued September 25 at 10:04AM EDT until September 26 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

In effect until 8:00 PM. Issued by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC. Read the full alert

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued September 24 at 11:48PM EDT until September 25 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

In effect until 8:00 PM. Issued by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC. Read the full alert

Right now · Beachcombing

Fair for beachcombing — strong wind along the shore

Fair
Tide direction
ExcellentFalling tide is uncovering fresh sand
Tide height
1.6 ftGoodModerate tide with some beach exposed
Wind
32 mphFairStrong wind along the shore
Feels like
70°FExcellentComfortable for a beach walk
Rain chance
17%ExcellentDry conditions

Activity conditions

What Nags Head is good for right now

Each activity is rated by its worst relevant condition, not an average.

Best time windows

When to go over the next two days

Windows come from the hourly forecast, so they get less certain further out.

Beach Day

  • Sun 7 AM – 11 AMFairFair for beach day — breezy — loose items will blow around
Hourly outlook for Beach Day from 11:00 AM to 10:00 AM

Fri 11 AMSun 10 AM

Beachcombing

  • Fri 11 AM – 7 PMFairFair for beachcombing — rising tide is covering the low beach
  • Sat 7 AM – 1 PMFairFair for beachcombing — higher water leaves a narrow beach
  • Sat 2 PM – 7 PMFairFair for beachcombing — rising tide is covering the low beach
  • Sun 7 AM – 11 AMFairFair for beachcombing — higher water leaves a narrow beach
Hourly outlook for Beachcombing from 11:00 AM to 10:00 AM

Fri 11 AMSun 10 AM

Current conditions

Chance Light Rain

Air temperature
70°FForecastNational Weather Service· NWS MHX forecast grid
Wind
32 mphfrom the NForecastNational Weather Service· NWS MHX forecast grid
Water temperature
73°FObservedNOAA NDBC· Nags Head, NC (243) · 12 mi away
Surf
16 ft14 s periodObservedNOAA NDBC· Nags Head, NC (243) · 12 mi away
Chance of rain
17%ForecastNational Weather Service· NWS MHX forecast grid
Cloud cover
88%ForecastNational Weather Service· NWS MHX forecast grid

Tide

Tide at Jennettes Pier, Nags Head (ocean)

Heights are relative to MLLW, the NOAA chart datum for this station.

Now

Falling

Today

  • Low 12:49 AM 0.7 ft
  • High 6:56 AM 4 ft
  • Low 1:09 PM 0.8 ft
  • High 7:11 PM 4 ft

Sat

  • Low 1:25 AM 0.5 ft
  • High 7:35 AM 4.3 ft
  • Low 1:53 PM 0.6 ft
  • High 7:50 PM 4 ft

Sun

  • Low 2:01 AM 0.3 ft
  • High 8:14 AM 4.5 ft
  • Low 2:35 PM 0.5 ft
  • High 8:30 PM 4 ft

Mon

  • Low 2:39 AM 0.2 ft
  • High 8:55 AM 4.7 ft
  • Low 3:20 PM 0.5 ft
  • High 9:13 PM 3.9 ft

Predictions from NOAA CO-OPS station 8652226.

Weather

Forecast

  • Today72°FChance Light Rain25%
  • Tonight66°FSlight Chance Light Rain24%
  • Saturday72°FSlight Chance Light Rain15%
  • Saturday Night65°FSlight Chance Light Rain then Partly Cloudy16%
  • Sunday75°FMostly Sunny3%
  • Sunday Night67°FPartly Cloudy4%
  • Monday74°FSunny2%
  • Monday Night69°FMostly Clear1%
  • Tuesday76°FSunny0%
  • Tuesday Night70°FMostly Clear0%
  • Wednesday77°FSunny0%
  • Wednesday Night71°FMostly Clear2%
  • Thursday78°FMostly Sunny7%
  • Thursday Night72°FPartly Cloudy9%

Waves

Surf

Wave height

16 ft

ObservedNOAA NDBC· Nags Head, NC (243) · 12 mi away

Period

14 s

Longer periods carry more energy and break harder.

Direction

NE

Water temperature

Water

73°F

ObservedNOAA NDBC· Nags Head, NC (243) · 12 mi away

Measured at the station above, which may sit some distance from the shore break. Surface temperature at the beach can differ.

Additional data

Daylight and data sources

Sunrise
6:52 AM
Sunset
6:56 PM
Humidity
82%
Visibility
8.3 mi
Time zone
America/New_York
Coordinates
35.9573, -75.6237

Stations used for this location

  • Tides — NOAA CO-OPS Jennettes Pier, Nags Head (ocean) (8652226), 3.7 mi away
  • Weather — National Weather Service grid MHX 91,119
  • Buoy — NDBC Nags Head, NC (243) (44086), 12 mi offshore; this buoy does not report wind
  • Water temperature fallback — NOAA CO-OPS JENNETTE'S PIER (8652226), 3.7 mi away; used only when the buoy has no reading

Jots

Notes from Nags Head

Short, dated notes from people who were actually there.

No jots yet

Nobody has jotted a trip to Nags Head. Jots are short notes about what the conditions were really like — coming soon.

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Nearby

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