Wrightsville Beach Surf Outlook: Jan 2–9, 2026
Issued 5:30 AM Jan 2.
Note: This forecast is based on data from 5:30 AM Friday. While the broad patterns usually hold, the forecast can and does shift, especially further out in time. Please verify local conditions before heading out.
By Mark Willis
Today: Minor with offshore flow
Weekend: Minor Saturday; slightly more surf with N winds Sunday
Early Week: Mostly longboard surf at best
Mid–Late Week: Warming up but staying small; monitoring late-week front
WB Surf Forecast Breakdown
Forecast Table: Green = Fair/Good, Yellow = Marginal, Red = Poor/Flat
Today through Sunday (1/2–1/4):
Minor Friday and Saturday with a slightly stronger showing on Sunday. Minor ESE to SE swell traces are expected today and Saturday. Conditions remain clean with offshore flow today (Friday). Low pressure moves in Saturday, bringing rain and developing light onshore to NE winds.
Friday (1/2):
Knee high or less ESE to SE swell. Clean surface conditions with WSW winds. High near 61°F. Low tide around 12:30 PM. Overall quality is marginal. While the surface is groomed, the size is extremely limited.
Saturday (1/3):
Continuing ankle to knee high ESE to SE swell. Rainy but relatively mild with a high near 57°F. Low tide around 1:26 PM. Glassy in the morning with light and variable winds, with light ENE winds adding a bit of texture into the afternoon.
Sunday Transition
Low pressure shifts offshore Sunday, leading to renewed north winds and a noticeable temperature drop, with highs near 53°F. Expect a small bump in surf from the N to NE wind push, but nothing more than knee to occasional thigh high waves with some sideshore texture. Cleaner conditions are possible at more protected spots.
Looking Ahead: Small Surf into Next Week
Monday (1/5):
Around knee high ENE swell. High pressure settles in with light NE winds becoming variable in the afternoon. High temperatures in the mid 50s.
Mid-Week Warming:
A warming trend sets up Tuesday and Wednesday, with highs climbing into the mid 60s and peaking near 66°F on Wednesday. Winds trend SW, with a minor local windswell and SE swell mix producing the occasional knee high wave.
Late Week (1/8–1/9):
Minor knee-high surf is currently expected to continue Thursday and Friday, though confidence remains low this far out. We will be monitoring the next front as we approach next weekend.
Final Thoughts
Sunday is worth watching for a small bump in size, but expectations should remain low. Overall, it looks like a week of slim pickings. If you happen to spot a rideable longboard wave on the WBLive cam at any point, it is probably worth jumping on it.
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