Carolina Beach surf report, live beach cam & water temperature
Updated 4 Nov, 12:00 UTC
Live cam by Tony Silvagni Surf School via YouTube
Current conditions
Right now at Carolina Beach: 5 kts E, gusts 16, 1.2 m waves, water 21 °C — good surfing waves.
7-day forecast
| Tue 3 | Wed 4 | Thu 5 | Fri 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 00 | 03 | 06 | 09 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 21 | 00 | 03 | 06 | 09 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 21 | 00 | 03 | 06 | 09 | 12 | 15 | 18 | |
| Wind | 9 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 4 |
| Gusts | 16 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 10 |
| Direction | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ |
| Waves | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| Temperature | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 22 |
| Rain (mm) | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.1 | ||||||||||
Times shown in local time · Wind, waves and water temperature: ECMWF open data (CC BY 4.0) · Tides: EOT20, DGFI-TUM (CC BY 4.0)
🔒 Days 4–7 are Pro — The free plan shows the first 3 forecast days. Go Pro to see the whole week.
Surf forecast
| Wed 4 | Thu 5 | Fri 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 01 | 04 | 07 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 01 | 04 | 07 | 10 | 13 | 16 | |
| Surf (est.) | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.2 |
| Primary swell | 1.08s↑ | 1.08s↑ | 1.08s↑ | 1.08s↑ | 1.18s↑ | 1.18s↑ | 1.18s↑ | 1.18s↑ | 1.08s↑ | 1.08s↑ | 1.08s↑ | 1.08s↑ | 1.09s↑ | 1.09s↑ | 1.19s↑ | 1.19s↑ | 1.19s↑ | 1.19s↑ | 0.99s↑ | 0.79s↑ |
| Secondary swell | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Wind waves | 1.07s↑ | 1.07s↑ | 1.17s↑ | 1.17s↑ | 1.18s↑ | 1.18s↑ | 1.18s↑ | 1.18s↑ | 1.18s↑ | 1.18s↑ | 1.18s↑ | 1.18s↑ | 1.18s↑ | 1.19s↑ | 1.19s↑ | 1.19s↑ | 1.19s↑ | 1.19s↑ | 1.19s↑ | 0.95s↑ |
| Waves | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| Period | 8s | 8s | 8s | 8s | 8s | 8s | 8s | 8s | 9s | 9s | 9s | 9s | 9s | 10s | 10s | 10s | 9s | 9s | 9s | 10s |
| Power | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Groundswell | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
Surf height is estimated from the primary swell for a beach facing it; reefs, sandbanks and the tide change it. Power in kW per metre of coast. Groundswell: waves of 12 s and longer. Swell: NOAA WAVEWATCH III · ECMWF
Tides (next 48 h)
Spot info
- Town: Carolina Beach, New Hanover County
- Water: Sea
- Sports: Surf
- Best wind directions: WWNWWSWNW
Carolina Beach is a beach town on Pleasure Island, south of Wilmington, North Carolina, between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic, with Kure Beach and Fort Fisher to the south. It is an old-fashioned family resort with a boardwalk, a fishing pier at the north end, and a lake park in the middle of town, and it is one of the main surf towns of the Wilmington area. This live surf cam is run by Tony Silvagni Surf School and looks at the break off Hamlet Avenue. The beach faces east-southeast, and its sandbars give a beachbreak that works on east, northeast and southeast swell; nor'easters in fall and winter and swell from hurricanes passing offshore in late summer bring the best days, and west winds are offshore. In summer the waves are usually small and the water is warm and good for beginners and surf lessons. Rip currents are common when it is big, and the town's ocean rescue guards the beach in season. Carolina Beach has seen repeated beach nourishment, so the shape of the bars changes over the years. Water temperature runs from about 12 °C in January and February to around 28 °C in August. Parking is paid in season.
Carolina Beach FAQ
- Is there a beach cam at Carolina Beach?
- Yes. The live beach cam for Carolina Beach is at the top of this page, next to the wind and wave forecast.
- What wind direction works at Carolina Beach?
- It works best in W, WNW, WSW, NW winds.
