Alert archive / North Carolina / Rip Current Statements in 2012

Rip Current Statement 2, NWS Wilmington, NC

May 29, 2012Brunswick County, New Hanover County, Pender County, North Carolina; Georgetown County, Horry County, South Carolina

NWS Wilmington, NC issued this rip current statement at May 29, 2012, 4:54 PM EDT for Brunswick County, New Hanover County, Pender County, North Carolina; Georgetown County, Horry County, South Carolina. It took effect at May 30, 2012, 6:00 AM EDT. It was in force for 14 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 29, 2012, 4:54 PM EDT (20:54 UTC)
In effect from
May 30, 2012, 6:00 AM EDT
Expired
May 30, 2012, 8:00 PM EDT
In force
14 hr
Issued by
NWS Wilmington, NC

Counties Brunswick County, NC, New Hanover County, NC, Pender County, NC, Georgetown County, SC, Horry County, SC

The radar

The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 3 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:56 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Newport, NC (KMHX), launched 12:00Z, 8.9 hours before the alert went out and 168 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Newport, NC at 12:00Z on 2012-05-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1441 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Newport, NC at 12:00Z on 2012-05-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -83 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1441 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
493 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
8 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-83 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-70 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

565 
WHUS42 KILM 292054
CFWILM

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
454 PM EDT TUE MAY 29 2012

...A HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IS IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY...

THE COMBINATION OF INCREASING ONSHORE WINDS AND INCREASING SWELLS
AHEAD OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION BERYL WILL RESULT IN A HIGH RISK OF
STRONG RIP CURRENTS ON WEDNESDAY.

NCZ106-108-110-SCZ054-056-301030-
/O.NEW.KILM.RP.S.0002.120530T1000Z-120531T0000Z/
COASTAL PENDER-COASTAL NEW HANOVER-COASTAL BRUNSWICK-COASTAL HORRY-
COASTAL GEORGETOWN-
454 PM EDT TUE MAY 29 2012

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH
WEDNESDAY EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON HAS ISSUED A HIGH RIP
CURRENT RISK...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH
WEDNESDAY EVENING.

* LOCATION...ALL BEACHES FROM SURF CITY NORTH CAROLINA TO WINYAH 
  BAY SOUTH CAROLINA.

* RIP CURRENT RISK...HIGH.

* SURF HEIGHT...4 TO 6 FT FOR ALL BEACHES...EXCEPT...5 TO 7 FEET
  FOR THE NEW HANOVER AND BRUNSWICK COUNTY BEACHES.

* TIMING AND TIDES...LOW TIDE WILL OCCUR AROUND 915 AM WEDNESDAY. THE
  STRONGEST RIP CURRENTS WILL OCCUR WITHIN 2 HOURS ON EITHER SIDE
  OF LOW TIDE

* OTHER HAZARDS...THERE WILL BE A MODERATE TO STRONG EAST TO WEST
  LONGSHORE CURRENT AT THE BRUNSWICK COUNTY BEACHES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. 

RIP CURRENTS ARE POWERFUL CHANNELS OF WATER FLOWING QUICKLY AWAY
FROM SHORE...WHICH OCCUR MOST OFTEN AT LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN THE
SANDBAR AND IN THE VICINITY OF STRUCTURES SUCH AS GROINS...JETTIES
AND PIERS. HEED THE ADVICE OF LIFEGUARDS AND THE BEACH PATROL. PAY
ATTENTION TO FLAGS AND POSTED SIGNS. 

IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...DO NOT PANIC. REMAIN CALM
AND BEGIN TO SWIM PARALLEL TO SHORE. ONCE YOU ARE AWAY FROM THE
FORCE OF THE RIP CURRENT...BEGIN TO SWIM BACK TO THE BEACH. DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO SWIM DIRECTLY AGAINST A RIP CURRENT. EVEN A STRONG
SWIMMER CAN BECOME EXHAUSTED QUICKLY.

&&

$$

PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE
NEW RIP CURRENT HAZARD...

HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SURVEY/NWS-SURVEY.PHP?CODE=RCVTECCHM
2 follow-up statements
880 
WHUS42 KILM 300856
CFWILM

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
456 AM EDT WED MAY 30 2012

...A HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IS IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY...

THE COMBINATION OF INCREASING ONSHORE WINDS AND INCREASING SWELLS
AS TROPICAL DEPRESSION BERYL PASS ACROSS THE WATERS TODAY WILL
RESULT IN A HIGH RISK OF STRONG RIP CURRENTS.

NCZ106-108-110-SCZ054-056-302100-
/O.CON.KILM.RP.S.0002.120530T1000Z-120531T0000Z/
COASTAL PENDER-COASTAL NEW HANOVER-COASTAL BRUNSWICK-COASTAL HORRY-
COASTAL GEORGETOWN-
456 AM EDT WED MAY 30 2012

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING...

* LOCATION...ALL BEACHES FROM SURF CITY NORTH CAROLINA TO WINYAH 
  BAY SOUTH CAROLINA. 

* RIP CURRENT RISK...HIGH.

* SURF HEIGHT...4 TO 6 FT FOR ALL BEACHES...EXCEPT...5 TO 7 FEET 
  FOR THE NEW HANOVER AND BRUNSWICK COUNTY BEACHES. 

* TIMING AND TIDES...LOW TIDE WILL OCCUR AROUND 915 AM WEDNESDAY. 
  THE STRONGEST RIP CURRENTS WILL OCCUR WITHIN 2 HOURS ON EITHER 
  SIDE OF LOW TIDE 

* OTHER HAZARDS...THERE WILL BE A MODERATE TO STRONG EAST TO WEST 
  LONGSHORE CURRENT AT THE BRUNSWICK COUNTY BEACHES. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS.

RIP CURRENTS ARE POWERFUL CHANNELS OF WATER FLOWING QUICKLY AWAY
FROM SHORE...WHICH OCCUR MOST OFTEN AT LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN THE
SANDBAR AND IN THE VICINITY OF STRUCTURES SUCH AS GROINS...JETTIES
AND PIERS. HEED THE ADVICE OF LIFEGUARDS AND THE BEACH PATROL. PAY
ATTENTION TO FLAGS AND POSTED SIGNS.

IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...DO NOT PANIC. REMAIN CALM
AND BEGIN TO SWIM PARALLEL TO SHORE. ONCE YOU ARE AWAY FROM THE
FORCE OF THE RIP CURRENT...BEGIN TO SWIM BACK TO THE BEACH. DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO SWIM DIRECTLY AGAINST A RIP CURRENT. EVEN A STRONG
SWIMMER CAN BECOME EXHAUSTED QUICKLY.

&&

$$

PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE
NEW RIP CURRENT HAZARD...

HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SURVEY/NWS-SURVEY.PHP?CODE=RCVTECCHM
029 
WHUS42 KILM 302049
CFWILM

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
449 PM EDT WED MAY 30 2012

...A HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IS IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY...

HIGH SEAS RESULTING FROM TROPICAL DEPRESSION BERYL WILL RESULT IN
A HIGH RISK OF STRONG RIP CURRENTS INTO THIS EVENING.

NCZ106-108-110-SCZ054-056-310000-
/O.CON.KILM.RP.S.0002.000000T0000Z-120531T0000Z/
COASTAL PENDER-COASTAL NEW HANOVER-COASTAL BRUNSWICK-COASTAL HORRY-
COASTAL GEORGETOWN-
449 PM EDT WED MAY 30 2012

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...

* LOCATION...ALL BEACHES FROM SURF CITY NORTH CAROLINA TO WINYAH 
  BAY SOUTH CAROLINA. 

* RIP CURRENT RISK...HIGH.

* SURF HEIGHT...4 TO 6 FT FOR ALL BEACHES...EXCEPT...5 TO 7 FEET 
  FOR THE NEW HANOVER AND BRUNSWICK COUNTY BEACHES. 

* TIMING AND TIDES...LOW TIDE WILL OCCUR AROUND 1000 PM WEDNESDAY.
  WHILE THE RIP CURRENT RISK IS GREATEST 2 HOURS EITHER SIDE OF
  LOW TIDE...RIP CURRENTS REMAIN POSSIBLE UNTIL SEAS SUBSIDE THIS
  EVENING.

* OTHER HAZARDS...THERE WILL BE A MODERATE TO STRONG EAST TO WEST 
  LONGSHORE CURRENT AT THE BRUNSWICK COUNTY BEACHES. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS.

RIP CURRENTS ARE POWERFUL CHANNELS OF WATER FLOWING QUICKLY AWAY
FROM SHORE...WHICH OCCUR MOST OFTEN AT LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN THE
SANDBAR AND IN THE VICINITY OF STRUCTURES SUCH AS GROINS...JETTIES
AND PIERS. HEED THE ADVICE OF LIFEGUARDS AND THE BEACH PATROL. PAY
ATTENTION TO FLAGS AND POSTED SIGNS.

IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...DO NOT PANIC. REMAIN CALM
AND BEGIN TO SWIM PARALLEL TO SHORE. ONCE YOU ARE AWAY FROM THE
FORCE OF THE RIP CURRENT...BEGIN TO SWIM BACK TO THE BEACH. DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO SWIM DIRECTLY AGAINST A RIP CURRENT. EVEN A STRONG
SWIMMER CAN BECOME EXHAUSTED QUICKLY.

&&

$$

PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE
NEW RIP CURRENT HAZARD...

HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SURVEY/NWS-SURVEY.PHP?CODE=RCVTECCHM

The office that day

Everything else NWS Wilmington, NC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 29, 3:13 AM EDTFlood WatchILMBladen, Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, Pender, Robeson36 hr
May 29, 2:01 AM EDTSmall Craft AdvisoryILM44 hr
May 29, 4:19 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementILMDarlington41 min

Nearby

Rip Current Statements in North Carolina, 2012Rip Current Statements in South Carolina, 2012Every rip current statement in 2012

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.