Beach
both
Level 5/10

S-Turns

Rodanthe, USA
🌀Strong rips🏝️Remote

S-Turns is named for the serpentine curves in Highway 12 near Rodanthe—and for the winding tubes that form along this stretch when hurricane swells unload on the Outer Banks. This is one of the most consistent sections of the OBX, positioned to catch swells from multiple directions and offering empty peaks spread across miles of beach. The remote location means fewer crowds than the northern beaches, but also means commitment to the drive. When conditions align, S-Turns delivers some of the best waves on the East Coast, with powerful barrels and workable walls that reward the dedicated.

3-Day Forecast
Today
16
0
Poor
0.9m
@8s
36km/h
Tue
17
19
Poor
0.9m
@9s
31km/h
Wed
18
0
Poor
0.8m
@8s
17km/h
+7
Unlock

Today's Conditions

Swell
0.9m
ESE(116°)
Score: 8/25
Period
8s
Short period / windswell
Score: 4/25
Wind
36km/h
SSE(167°)
Score: 0/25
Weather
14°C
0.6mm98%
Windswell Component
1.2mS@4s
Secondary Swell
0.3mSE
Forecast Confidence
100%
Sources: open-meteo-marine, open-meteo-weather
Best Session
afternoon

Location & Conditions

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0°45°90°135°180°225°270°315°NESW
Swell
Wind
View in OpenStreetMap
Showing forecast for today

Tide Times

4:22 am
Low tide - -0.11m
9:37 am
High tide - 0.00m
4:37 pm
Low tide - -0.11m
10:22 pm
High tide - 0.00m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

0
Poor
Components
Swell Direction15/25
Swell Size8/25
Swell Period4/25
Wind0/25
Raw Score27/100
Adjustments
🤢 Wind History-10
🌊💨 Windswell-7
⚠️ Weak Component-10
📉 Undersized Swell-8
Adjusted Score0/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score0
🤢 Morning Sickness🌊💨 Windswell👥 Spring Break

Spot Details

Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
E (100°)
Direction range
70° - 150°
Size range
0.8m - 3.5m
Ideal size
2.7m
Height multiplier
1.00×
Ideal period
14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
W (280°)
Offshore range
250° - 320°
Best window
morning

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
low
Optimal range
0.3m - 1m

Water temp

19°C

Wetsuit

3/2mm fullsuit

Difficulty

5/10

Crowd level

3/10

👥 Spring Break (Mar 14Mar 22) — expect extra crowds

Access: Named for curves in Highway 12.

Best Season

Peak: Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar

Secondary: Aug

Hurricane swells can get epic here.

Getting There

Airport
ORF
Drive time
100 min
Data quality
verified

Strike Log

Community Discussion