- Low 12:15 AM 0.3 ft
- High 6:44 AM 4.0 ft
- Low 1:09 PM 0.5 ft
- High 6:57 PM 3.0 ft
First light 6:07 AMSunrise 6:34 AMSunset 5:06 PMLast light 5:33 PM
Morehead City, NC Tide Chart Today & Tomorrow
North Carolina · NOAA station Morehead City Harbor (1.7 mi) · updated Nov 9, 2026
Mon, Nov 9: High tide 7:25 AM (4.0 ft) and 7:39 PM (2.9 ft); low tide 12:56 AM (0.3 ft) and 1:53 PM (0.5 ft).
Tide todayHigh 7:25 AM · High 7:39 PMLow 12:56 AM · Low 1:53 PM
Today's range3.7 ft0.3 → 4.0 ft (MLLW)
Waves (buoy)Loading…NDBC 41159
Water temp (buoy)Loading…
WindLoading…
Sun6:35 AM – 5:05 PMFirst light 6:08 AM · Last light 5:32 PM
Buoy: NOAA NDBC 41159 (Onslow Bay Outer, NC (217)), 38 mi away. Buoy readings are recent observations, not a surf forecast. Wind: observed at NOAA CO-OPS station 8656483 (Beaufort, Duke Marine Lab), 4 mi away; forecast from the NOAA National Weather Service (api.weather.gov).
Morehead City tides — next 3 days
Shaded = night · heights in feet above MLLW · local time
- Low 12:56 AM 0.3 ft
- High 7:25 AM 4.0 ft
- Low 1:53 PM 0.5 ft
- High 7:39 PM 2.9 ft
First light 6:08 AMSunrise 6:35 AMSunset 5:05 PMLast light 5:32 PM
- Low 1:36 AM 0.3 ft
- High 8:07 AM 3.9 ft
- Low 2:36 PM 0.5 ft
- High 8:21 PM 2.8 ft
First light 6:09 AMSunrise 6:36 AMSunset 5:04 PMLast light 5:32 PM
- Low 2:17 AM 0.4 ft
- High 8:48 AM 3.8 ft
- Low 3:16 PM 0.6 ft
- High 9:02 PM 2.8 ft
First light 6:10 AMSunrise 6:37 AMSunset 5:04 PMLast light 5:31 PM
- Low 2:57 AM 0.5 ft
- High 9:29 AM 3.7 ft
- Low 3:57 PM 0.7 ft
- High 9:42 PM 2.7 ft
First light 6:11 AMSunrise 6:38 AMSunset 5:03 PMLast light 5:30 PM
Today's tide windows
- ▲ Rising 12:56 AM → 7:25 AM 0.3 → 4.0 ft
- ▼ Falling 7:25 AM → 1:53 PM 4.0 → 0.5 ft
- ▲ Rising 1:53 PM → 7:39 PM 0.5 → 2.9 ft
- ▼ Falling 7:39 PM → 1:36 AM (next day) 2.9 → 0.3 ft
From NOAA high/low predictions for station 8656502.
This week's tide highlights
Mon, Nov 9 – Sun, Nov 15
Biggest high4.0 ftMon, Nov 9 7:25 AM
Lowest low0.3 ftMon, Nov 9 12:56 AM
Best daylight low0.5 ftMon, Nov 9 1:53 PMtide pools & beachcombing
Plan around it: Best tide for surf fishing · Best tide for surfing
NOAA predictions for station 8656502; daylight = first to last light (civil twilight). Predictions are astronomical and don't include wind, waves, or storm surge. Not for navigation.
Best fishing times today in Morehead City
Today is a good fishing day (solunar + tide)
6/10
New moon · 0% lit · Full moon Tue, Nov 24
Major fishing times
- Moon overhead11:04 am – 1:04 pmNear slack (low 1:53 pm)
- Moon underfoot11:29 pm – 1:29 amNear slack (low 1:36 am)
Minor fishing times
- Moonrise6:31 am – 7:31 amSunrise↻ Tide change: high 7:25 am
- Moonset4:33 pm – 5:33 pmSunset≈ Moving water, rising
Fishing times for the next 7 days
| TodayNov 9 | 6/10Good | Major 11:04 am – 1:04 pm · 11:29 pm – 1:29 am Minor 6:31 am – 7:31 am · 4:33 pm – 5:33 pm |
|---|---|---|
| TueNov 10 | 6/10Good | Major 11:54 am – 1:54 pm Minor 7:32 am – 8:32 am · 5:14 pm – 6:14 pm |
| WedNov 11 | 6/10Good | Major 12:20 am – 2:20 am · 12:46 pm – 2:46 pm Minor 8:30 am – 9:30 am · 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm |
| ThuNov 12 | 5/10Fair | Major 1:12 am – 3:12 am · 1:37 pm – 3:37 pm Minor 9:23 am – 10:23 am · 6:52 pm – 7:52 pm |
| FriNov 13 | 6/10Good | Major 2:03 am – 4:03 am · 2:28 pm – 4:28 pm Minor 10:10 am – 11:10 am · 7:48 pm – 8:48 pm |
| SatNov 14 | 6/10Good | Major 2:53 am – 4:53 am · 3:17 pm – 5:17 pm Minor 10:51 am – 11:51 am · 8:46 pm – 9:46 pm |
| SunNov 15 | 6/10Good | Major 3:40 am – 5:40 am · 4:03 pm – 6:03 pm Minor 11:26 am – 12:26 pm · 9:46 pm – 10:46 pm |
How this rating works
Solunar theory says fish feed more when the moon is overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 hours) and around moonrise and moonset (minor periods, about 1 hour). We score each day from 1 to 10 by checking when those periods happen, using the NOAA tide predictions for station 8656502 and the sun times for this spot:
| Base | every day starts at 1 | 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise / sunset | a period overlaps sunrise or sunset ±1 h: major +2, minor +1 (max 3) (Moonrise × sunrise +1; Moonset × sunset +1) | 2 |
| Tide | a NOAA high or low falls inside a period (tide change): major +2, minor +1; moving water during a major period (no high/low within 1 h of it) +1 (max 4) (Moonrise – tide change +1) | 1 |
| Moon phase | within 2 days of a new or full moon +2, within 4 days +1 (today: 0.4 days) | 2 |
| Today | 6, rounded | 6/10 |
1–3 poor · 4–5 fair · 6–7 good · 8–10 excellent. Solunar times are a rule of thumb, not a guarantee: weather, water temperature and bait matter a lot. Tide changes and moving water are specific to this station, so nearby spots can score differently.
Solunar periods calculated for 34.73, -76.74 (moon times from astronomical equations, local time). Not a fishing forecast.
Morehead City tide table & sun times — next 7 days
| Sun, Nov 8Sun 6:34 AM – 5:06 PM | Low 12:15 AM 0.26 ft | High 6:44 AM 3.99 ft | Low 1:09 PM 0.47 ft | High 6:57 PM 3.01 ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, Nov 9Sun 6:35 AM – 5:05 PM | Low 12:56 AM 0.29 ft | High 7:25 AM 3.98 ft | Low 1:53 PM 0.48 ft | High 7:39 PM 2.92 ft |
| Tue, Nov 10Sun 6:36 AM – 5:04 PM | Low 1:36 AM 0.34 ft | High 8:07 AM 3.92 ft | Low 2:36 PM 0.52 ft | High 8:21 PM 2.83 ft |
| Wed, Nov 11Sun 6:37 AM – 5:04 PM | Low 2:17 AM 0.39 ft | High 8:48 AM 3.84 ft | Low 3:16 PM 0.58 ft | High 9:02 PM 2.75 ft |
| Thu, Nov 12Sun 6:38 AM – 5:03 PM | Low 2:57 AM 0.46 ft | High 9:29 AM 3.73 ft | Low 3:57 PM 0.66 ft | High 9:42 PM 2.68 ft |
| Fri, Nov 13Sun 6:39 AM – 5:02 PM | Low 3:37 AM 0.55 ft | High 10:10 AM 3.60 ft | Low 4:39 PM 0.75 ft | High 10:23 PM 2.62 ft |
| Sat, Nov 14Sun 6:40 AM – 5:02 PM | Low 4:19 AM 0.65 ft | High 10:52 AM 3.46 ft | Low 5:25 PM 0.81 ft | High 11:10 PM 2.58 ft |
| Sun, Nov 15Sun 6:41 AM – 5:01 PM | Low 5:07 AM 0.76 ft | High 11:38 AM 3.33 ft | Low 6:15 PM 0.83 ft | |
| Mon, Nov 16Sun 6:42 AM – 5:00 PM | High 12:04 AM 2.59 ft | Low 6:05 AM 0.84 ft | High 12:28 PM 3.20 ft | Low 7:04 PM 0.79 ft |
Tide times and heights (ft, MLLW) are NOAA predictions for station 8656502; first light (civil dawn), sunrise, sunset and last light (civil dusk) are calculated for Morehead City with the NOAA solar equations. Times are local.
About the tide at Morehead City
Morehead City has a semidiurnal tide: two high tides and two low tides of similar height each day. The average rise or fall between high and low tide is 3.0 ft, growing to about 4.0 ft at spring tides (around new and full moon) and shrinking to about 2.7 ft at neap tides (around the quarter moons). The highest tide predicted in the next 12 months is 4.5 ft on October 28, 2026 at 9:59 AM; the lowest is -0.9 ft on January 23, 2027 at 1:44 AM, and 212 low tides in that period drop below zero (MLLW).
- Tide type
- Semidiurnal
- Mean range
- 3.0 ft
- Spring / neap range
- 4.0 ft / 2.7 ft
- Average higher high
- 3.5 ft
- Average lower low
- 0.1 ft
- Highest tide, next 12 months
- 4.5 ft · Oct 28, 2026
- Lowest tide, next 12 months
- -0.9 ft · Jan 23, 2027
- Negative low tides (12 months)
- 212
Computed from 12 months of NOAA high/low predictions for station 8656502 (Morehead City Harbor); heights in feet above MLLW.
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Photos via Wikimedia Commons, cropped: Dough4872 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Rod Allday (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Bernal Saborio from Costa Rica (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Armando Olivo Martín del Campo (CC BY-SA 4.0). Photos show the area or activity, not a specific listing.
Tide guides
All guides →- King tides 2026–2027: dates and times by beachThe highest predicted tides from November to February, beach by beach, with times and heights.
- Best tide for surf fishing: high vs. low, incoming vs. outgoingWhy moving water matters, how beach shape changes the answer, and notes for stripers and fluke.
- Best tide for surfing a beach breakLow, mid or high? How tide height changes sandbar waves, rips and shorebreak.
- How to read a tide chartTimes, heights, MLLW, rising vs. falling water and which station to trust, with a live example.
- Negative low tides this winter (2026–2027)The lowest predicted lows this winter, including the best daylight minus tides, beach by beach.
About Morehead City
Morehead City is a town in Carteret County, North Carolina, on the Crystal Coast across Bogue Sound from Atlantic Beach.
- Tide station used
- Morehead City Harbor, NC (NOAA 8656502, reference (harmonic) station)
- Distance to station
- 1.7 miles
- County
- Carteret County
- Coordinates
- 34.7279, -76.7391 (US Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer internal point (Morehead City town, GEOID 3744320))
- Time zone
- America/New_York
Station chosen by distance from the coordinates above.
FAQ
When is high tide today in Morehead City, NC?
On Mon, Nov 9, predicted high tide for Morehead City (NOAA station Morehead City Harbor) is at 7:25 AM (4.0 ft), 7:39 PM (2.9 ft) local time.
When is low tide today in Morehead City, NC?
On Mon, Nov 9, predicted low tide for Morehead City is at 12:56 AM (0.3 ft), 1:53 PM (0.5 ft) local time.
When are high and low tide tomorrow in Morehead City, NC?
On Tue, Nov 10, predicted high tides are at 8:07 AM (3.9 ft) and 8:21 PM (2.8 ft) for Morehead City; low tides are at 1:36 AM (0.3 ft) and 2:36 PM (0.5 ft) (local time).
Which tide station is used for Morehead City?
NOAA CO-OPS station 8656502 (Morehead City Harbor, NC), a reference (harmonic) station, about 1.7 miles from the Morehead City reference point. Heights are in feet above Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW).
What time is sunrise and sunset in Morehead City today?
On Mon, Nov 9, first light (civil dawn) is about 6:08 AM, sunrise 6:35 AM, sunset 5:05 PM and last light (civil dusk) 5:32 PM local time (calculated).
Other beaches & towns nearby
- Atlantic Beach, NC 2 mi
- Emerald Isle, NC 17 mi
- North Topsail Beach, NC 43 mi
- Ocracoke, NC 48 mi
- Surf City, NC 50 mi
- Topsail Beach, NC 57 mi
Tide stations near Morehead City
- Atlantic Beach Bridge, NC 0.7 mi
- Coral Bay, Atlantic Beach, NC 2.5 mi
- Morehead City, NC 2.6 mi
- Atlantic Beach, NC 2.9 mi
- SpoonersCreek, NC 3.7 mi
- Fort Macon, USCG Station, NC 3.8 mi
- Beaufort, Duke Marine Lab, NC 4.0 mi
- Gallant Channel, NC 4.0 mi