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Cape Lookout 54.2

#4166 of 5753 surf spots in the world · 🇺🇸 United States of America · North Carolina · near Jacksonville

Works almost every day, wind is the enemy here, no off season.

Works all yearIntermediate
Surf score54.2 /100
Surfable days97% of the year
Clean days3% groundswell + friendly wind
Groundswell6% period 11 s+
Typical size1.3 m 4.3 ft median
Water21°C a 2 mm shorty

Best time to surf Cape Lookout

The best time to surf Cape Lookout is March, September, October. It rarely works. In September the water sits around 26°C, so pack boardshorts, and the typical wave is 1.2 m. The nearest airport is ILM (131 km) and the nearest town is Jacksonville (83 km).

MonthSurfableCleanSizeWaterSuit
Jan97%3%1.6 m16°C3/2
Feb99%2%1.6 m13°C4/3
Mar99%4%1.6 m16°C3/2
Apr97%3%1.5 m19°C2mm
May97%1%1.2 m23°Cvest
Jun97%0%1.1 m26°Cboardies
Jul97%1%1.1 m28°Cboardies
Aug97%0%1.0 m28°Cboardies
Sep95%14%1.2 m26°Cboardies
Oct97%10%1.3 m23°Cvest
Nov97%2%1.5 m20°C2mm
Dec96%2%1.5 m17°C3/2

Why 54.2

Seven parts, each normalised 0 to 1 and weighted; the sum is scaled so the best spot in the world is 100.

Consistency 26%
26.0
Clean days 24%
1.4
Groundswell 12%
0.8
Season spread 10%
10.0
Wave size 8%
3.4
Water comfort 10%
5.9
Access 10%
5.2

The detail

Faces 175° with 81% open water around it. Friendly morning wind 53% of days. Mean peak period 7.3 s. Days over 3 m: 4%. Mellow days (0.4 to 1.2 m): 42%. Months that work: 12 of 12. Coordinates 34.595, -76.539 (OpenStreetMap).

Spots nearby

Shackleford Banks🇺🇸 United States of America · score 53.5Atlantic Beach🇺🇸 United States of America · score 53.3Emerald Isle🇺🇸 United States of America · score 51.5Onslow Beach🇺🇸 United States of America · score 46.4
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