This is the page you’ll bookmark. What’s biting, where, on what — plus wind, water temp, swell, and beach access notes. Updated weekly during the season, more often when it’s hot.
Live conditions last updated: Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 1:00 AM EDT · Source: NOAA NDBC buoys + Cape Hatteras Fishing Pier (Station 8654400).
Conditions Across the OBX — Right Now
Water temperature varies dramatically along the Outer Banks. A single number from a weather app doesn’t tell you what’s happening 80 miles down the beach. Here’s what each buoy is reporting:
| Location | Water Temp | Wind | Buoy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duck Pier (north, ocean) | 61.2°F | 13 kt SSW | DUKN7 |
| Oregon Inlet Marina (mid, inlet) | 77.0°F | 12 kt SW | ORIN7 |
| Hatteras USCG (south, sound side) | 75.9°F | 4 kt SSW | HCGN7 |
| Diamond Shoals (offshore Hatteras) | 80.1°F | 11.7 kt SSW | 41025 |
Today’s Tides — Cape Hatteras Fishing Pier
| Event | Time | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Low tide | 3:18 AM | — |
| High tide | 9:04 AM | 4.46 ft |
| Low tide | 2:56 PM | — |
| High tide | 9:36 PM | 4.39 ft |
| Sunrise | 5:55 AM | — |
| Sunset | 8:01 PM | — |
Wind & Wave Map
Live wind across the OBX from Windy.com. Use the layer controls (top right) to switch between wind, waves, and other layers. South wind = green, north wind = colder colors.
What’s Biting Right Now
This week’s picture, based on water temp + reader reports. Update each Monday during the season.
- North Beaches (Duck, Corolla, Kitty Hawk): Water still 61°F — too cold for the summer crowd. Striped bass holdovers, maybe some early blues if the warm water pushes north.
- Oregon Inlet area: 77°F means red drum should be active. Stripers fading. Watch the point at the inlet on the outgoing tide.
- Cape Point / Hatteras: Sound-side 75°F, offshore 80°F. Cobia season opens with this water temp. Drum still around the point at night.
- Sound side (Pamlico/Hatteras): Speckled trout and puppy drum on shallow flats at dawn. Sound is warming faster than the ocean north of the inlet.
Beach Access Notes
Spring closures for shorebird nesting are ramping up. Check current ramp status at NPS Cape Hatteras beach access before heading out — closures shift week to week and affect Cape Point, Hatteras Inlet spit, Ocracoke North Point most.
Going Deeper
- What’s typically biting this month →
- Where to fish, spot by spot →
- Species guide: red drum, stripers, blues, sharks →
Submit a Report
Catch something worth sharing? Send us a photo, location (ramp number is fine), bait, and tide stage. Reader reports are what make this page real. Email hello@obxmaps.com.