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.

10-Day Forecast
Today
21
0
Poor
0.4m
@6s
17km/h
Mon
22
0
Poor
0.2m
@6s
23km/h
Tue
23
0
Poor
0.5m
@5s
25km/h
Wed
24
0
Poor
0.4m
@5s
25km/h
Thu
25
0
Poor
0.3m
@5s
12km/h
Fri
26
0
Poor
0.3m
@8s
24km/h
Sat
27
0
Poor
0.4m
@7s
23km/h
Sun
28
0
Poor
0.4m
@8s
15km/h
Mon
29
0
Poor
0.4m
@8s
23km/h
Tue
30
0
Poor
0.5m
@7s
24km/h

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Swell
0.4m
SE(141°)
Score: 2/25
Period
6s
Short period / windswell
Score: 1/25
Wind
17km/h
SSW(204°)
Score: 1/25
Weather
25°C
0.0mm13%
Windswell Component
0.1mSSW@1s
0
Forecast Confidence
100%
Sources: open-meteo-marine, open-meteo-weather
Best Session
morning
AM: 10 km/h SW|PM: 19 km/h SW
10 km/h vs 19 km/h afternoon
Low tide at 11am (-0.1m)

Location & Conditions

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

Tide Times

3:52 am
High tide - 0.10m
11:22 am
Low tide - -0.06m
5:07 pm
High tide - 0.05m
10:22 pm
Low tide - -0.03m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

0
Poor
Components
Swell Direction7/25
Swell Size2/25
Swell Period1/25
Wind1/25
Raw Score11/100
Adjustments
🤢 Wind History-11
🌊 Tide-3
⚠️ Weak Component-15
📉 Undersized Swell-11
🚫 Undersized Capmax 30
Adjusted Score0/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score0
🤢 Morning Sickness🌊 Too low for this tide window👥 Summer Break
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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°

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

👥 Summer Break (Jun 15Aug 25) — 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