Frisco
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โฑ๏ธs.
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Friday 24
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Timezone: America/New_York

Frisco surf guide

Frisco is a surf spot located on the southern coast, known for its south-facing orientation which helps capture a variety of swells. Even though the iconic Cape Hatteras Pier is gone, Frisco still draws in surfers looking for a spot to ride some waves. The area is generally protected from harsh north and northeast winds, making it a decent choice for a session when conditions align. You'll find parking available, but be prepared for the unpredictable nature of the surf here.

The surf at Frisco can be pretty fickle. It typically handles swells from 4ft to 8ft (about 1.2 to 2.4 meters), with the best results coming from south to south-southwest swell directions. Low to mid tide often works well, especially with northeast wraps or hurricane swells, but donโ€™t be surprised if you encounter strong currents. Waves can break both left and right over a sandy bottom, and while sometimes you get nice grinding lefts, more often than not youโ€™ll find mushy peaks that turn into closeouts when they hit the sandbar. When the conditions are right, which can change in an instant, you might just find some fun rides here.

In terms of crowd levels, it varies depending on the swell, but it doesn't get as busy as it did back in the day when the pier was still there. The local vibe is generally chill, especially when the sand is decent and surfers can spread out. The main hazard to be mindful of is sharks, along with the old pieces of the pier that may still be lurking beneath the waves. The best time to hit Frisco is during the storm season, particularly in autumn when tropical cyclones and nor'easters can bring in some solid swells.

Surf reports and surf forecasts nearby Frisco

S Turns
North Carolina, United States
Beach break
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
Sun 2
Mon 3
Tue 4
Rodanthe Pier
North Carolina, United States
Unknown break
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
Sun 2
Mon 3
Tue 4
K.O.A
North Carolina, United States
Beach break
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
Sun 2
Mon 3
Tue 4
Ocracoke
North Carolina, United States
Beach break
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
Sun 2
Mon 3
Tue 4
Waves and Salvo
North Carolina, United States
Beach break
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
Sun 2
Mon 3
Tue 4
Frisco
North Carolina, United States
Beach break, Pier break
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
Sun 2
Mon 3
Tue 4
Frisco Pier
North Carolina, United States
Unknown break
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
Sun 2
Mon 3
Tue 4
Avon Pier
North Carolina, United States
Unknown break
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
Sun 2
Mon 3
Tue 4
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
North Carolina, United States
Beach break, Jetty break
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
Sun 2
Mon 3
Tue 4
The Lighthouse
North Carolina, United States
Unknown break
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
Sun 2
Mon 3
Tue 4
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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.
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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.

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Readme

Welcome! If youโ€™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:

๐Ÿ”ฎ 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.

๐Ÿ’จ Wind section

The first row on the table (with the ๐Ÿ’จ icon) shows wind speed, direction and gust. The more the wind speed the more aggressive the color (from blue, green, orange to red).

๐ŸŒŠ 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.

๐ŸŒ’ 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 โ€” handy when arrows overlap.

Forecast Cheat Sheet

Short on time? Focus on wave energy. Itโ€™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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Models and Updates

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. Hereโ€™s the scale:

Perfect
Good
Average
Bad or No Data

Session logs also feed the algorithm โ€” the more you log, the smarter your forecasts get.

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