Alert archive / North Carolina / Rip Current Statements in 2017

Rip Current Statement 4, NWS Wilmington, NC

September 5, 2017Brunswick County, New Hanover County, Pender County, North Carolina; Georgetown County, Horry County, South Carolina

NWS Wilmington, NC issued this rip current statement at Sep 5, 2017, 4:43 PM EDT for Brunswick County, New Hanover County, Pender County, North Carolina; Georgetown County, Horry County, South Carolina. It took effect at Sep 6, 2017, 7:00 AM EDT. It was in force for 13 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 5, 2017, 4:43 PM EDT (20:43 UTC)
In effect from
Sep 6, 2017, 7:00 AM EDT
Expired
Sep 6, 2017, 8:00 PM EDT
In force
13 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 20:44 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, 8.7 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 2017-09-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1370 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 2017-09-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 45 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
1370 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-9 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
802 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
45 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
71 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

544 
WHUS42 KILM 052043
CFWILM

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
443 PM EDT TUE SEP 5 2017

HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON HAS ISSUED A HIGH RIP 
CURRENT RISK...WHICH IS IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY 
EVENING. STRONG LONG PERIOD SWELLS FROM HURRICANE IRMA WILL PRODUCE 
A HIGH RISK OF STRONG RIP CURRENTS TODAY. RIP CURRENTS WILL BE 
STRONGEST SEVERAL HOURS EITHER SIDE OF LOW TIDE.

NCZ110-070000-
/O.NEW.KILM.RP.S.0004.170906T1200Z-170907T0000Z/
COASTAL BRUNSWICK-
443 PM EDT TUE SEP 5 2017

...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...BRUNSWICK COUNTY BEACHES

* RIP CURRENT RISK...HIGH

* SURF HEIGHT...3 TO 4 FEET 

* TIMING AND TIDES...LOW TIDE WILL BE AROUND 2:30 PM...BUT STRONG 
  RIP CURRENTS COULD OCCUR AT ANY TIME TODAY. 

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

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. LIFE THREATENING RIP CURRENTS
ARE LIKELY IN THE SURF ZONE.

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, BEACH PATROL FLAGS AND
SIGNS.

IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT, YELL FOR HELP. REMAIN CALM,
DO NOT EXHAUST YOURSELF AND STAY AFLOAT WHILE WAITING FOR HELP. IF
YOU HAVE TO SWIM OUT OF A RIP CURRENT, SWIM PARALLEL TO SHORE AND
BACK TOWARD THE BEACH WHEN POSSIBLE. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SWIM DIRECTLY
AGAINST A RIP CURRENT AS YOU WILL TIRE QUICKLY. 

&&

$$
1 follow-up statement
323 
WHUS42 KILM 060845
CFWILM

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
445 AM EDT WED SEP 6 2017

HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON HAS ISSUED A HIGH RIP
CURRENT RISK...WHICH IS IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH
WEDNESDAY EVENING. STRONG LONG PERIOD SWELLS FROM HURRICANE IRMA
WILL PRODUCE A HIGH RISK OF STRONG RIP CURRENTS TODAY. RIP
CURRENTS WILL BE STRONGEST SEVERAL HOURS EITHER SIDE OF LOW TIDE.

NCZ106-108-SCZ054-056-070000-
/O.EXB.KILM.RP.S.0004.170906T1100Z-170907T0000Z/
COASTAL PENDER-COASTAL NEW HANOVER-COASTAL HORRY-
COASTAL GEORGETOWN-
445 AM EDT WED SEP 6 2017

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON HAS ISSUED A HIGH RIP
CURRENT RISK, WHICH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING. 

* LOCATION...ALL AREA BEACHES

* RIP CURRENT RISK...HIGH

* SURF HEIGHT...3 TO 4 FEET

* TIMING AND TIDES...LOW TIDE WILL BE AROUND 2:30 PM...BUT 
  STRONG RIP CURRENTS COULD OCCUR AT ANY TIME TODAY. 

* OTHER HAZARDS...THERE WILL BE A MODERATE TO STRONG SOUTH TO
  NORTH LONGSHORE CURRENT AT THE EAST FACING BEACHES. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. LIFE THREATENING RIP
CURRENTS ARE LIKELY IN THE SURF ZONE.

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, BEACH PATROL FLAGS AND
SIGNS.

IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT, YELL FOR HELP. REMAIN
CALM, DO NOT EXHAUST YOURSELF AND STAY AFLOAT WHILE WAITING FOR
HELP. IF YOU HAVE TO SWIM OUT OF A RIP CURRENT, SWIM PARALLEL TO
SHORE AND BACK TOWARD THE BEACH WHEN POSSIBLE. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
SWIM DIRECTLY AGAINST A RIP CURRENT AS YOU WILL TIRE QUICKLY.

&&

$$

NCZ110-070000-
/O.EXT.KILM.RP.S.0004.170906T1100Z-170907T0000Z/
COASTAL BRUNSWICK-
445 AM EDT WED SEP 6 2017

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

* LOCATION...BRUNSWICK COUNTY BEACHES

* RIP CURRENT RISK...HIGH

* SURF HEIGHT...3 TO 4 FEET

* TIMING AND TIDES...LOW TIDE WILL BE AROUND 2:30 PM...BUT 
  STRONG RIP CURRENTS COULD OCCUR AT ANY TIME TODAY. 

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

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. LIFE THREATENING RIP
CURRENTS ARE LIKELY IN THE SURF ZONE.

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, BEACH PATROL FLAGS AND
SIGNS.

IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT, YELL FOR HELP. REMAIN
CALM, DO NOT EXHAUST YOURSELF AND STAY AFLOAT WHILE WAITING FOR
HELP. IF YOU HAVE TO SWIM OUT OF A RIP CURRENT, SWIM PARALLEL TO
SHORE AND BACK TOWARD THE BEACH WHEN POSSIBLE. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
SWIM DIRECTLY AGAINST A RIP CURRENT AS YOU WILL TIRE QUICKLY.

&&

$$

43

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 5, 7:25 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementILMMarlboro50 min
Sep 5, 7:30 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementILMWilliamsburg45 min

Nearby

Rip Current Statements in North Carolina, 2017Rip Current Statements in South Carolina, 2017Every rip current statement in 2017

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.