Live tide predictions for Kitty Hawk, NC. Times are referenced from the Duck NOAA primary just up the beach with a local offset of about minus 5 minutes (tides arrive at Kitty Hawk fractionally before Duck).
About tides at Kitty Hawk
Kitty Hawk is the northernmost paved-road town on the OBX before you reach Southern Shores and Duck. Tide behavior here closely matches Duck: a roughly 3.2 ft mean range with semi-diurnal high/low pairs about every 12 hours and 25 minutes. The Kitty Hawk Pier and the natural sand bar offshore make tide timing critical for surf fishermen.
Live tide data
This is a sub-station — tide times are predicted from the Duck (8651370) primary gauge. For the interactive tide chart with high and low markers, use the parent station’s page.
Best tides for surf fishing in Kitty Hawk
The trough behind the inner bar at Kitty Hawk is a classic puppy drum and bluefish setup, best worked on a rising tide that pushes water (and bait) over the bar. Pier fishing peaks on the slack between high and the first hour of the drop.
Beach driving and tides in Kitty Hawk
Kitty Hawk requires a town-issued beach driving permit and is closed to driving from roughly May through September. See our permits guide for the current rules.
Kitty Hawk Live Beach Cam
Want to see the surf before you check the tide times? This live oceanfront cam (courtesy of Twiddy & Company) streams the Kitty Hawk beach 24/7 — handy for sizing up the waves and conditions in real time.
See more OBX cams on our live beach cams page.
Live Beach Cams
Kitty Hawk Beach — Live Cam
This camera is temporarily offline at the source. The Kitty Hawk Pier cam above is live.
Live feeds courtesy of SurfChex. See all OBX live cams →
Kitty Hawk tide FAQ
What time is high tide today in Kitty Hawk?
The chart above shows today’s high and low tide times for Kitty Hawk, predicted from NOAA data for the Duck reference station (8651370). The current time is marked with a red line, and the next high tide is labeled in the summary beneath the chart. Kitty Hawk is a sub-station of Duck and tracks it very closely.
How much does the tide rise and fall in Kitty Hawk?
The mean tide range here is about 3.2 ft, with semi-diurnal highs and lows roughly every 12 hours and 25 minutes. Spring tides around the new and full moon produce the largest swings, while neap tides at the quarter moons are smaller. A strong nor’easter can add 2 to 5 feet of storm surge on top of the predictions.
When is the best tide for surf fishing in Kitty Hawk?
The trough behind the inner bar at Kitty Hawk is a classic puppy drum and bluefish setup, best worked on a rising tide that pushes water and bait over the bar. Pier fishing peaks on the slack between high tide and the first hour of the drop.
Can I drive on the beach in Kitty Hawk?
Kitty Hawk requires a town-issued beach driving permit, and the beach is closed to driving from roughly May through September. Outside that window, time your trip around the tide so you are not caught on a narrow beach at high water. Check our permits guide for the current rules.
Do the predictions account for wind and storms?
No – the predictions are astronomical only. A strong northeast wind can hold high tide on the beach for hours past the predicted time, and storm surge is not included. Always cross-check with the wind and surf forecast before timing beach driving or fishing.