Alert archive / North Carolina / Rip Current Statements in 2023

Rip Current Statement 14, NWS Wilmington, NC

July 16, 2023New Hanover County, Pender County, North Carolina

NWS Wilmington, NC issued this rip current statement at Jul 16, 2023, 10:38 AM EDT for New Hanover County, Pender County, North Carolina. It was in force for 9 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 16, 2023, 10:38 AM EDT (14:38 UTC)
Expired
Jul 16, 2023, 8:00 PM EDT
In force
9 hr
Issued by
NWS Wilmington, NC

Counties New Hanover County, NC, Pender County, NC

The radar

The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 65 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 14:39 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, 2.6 hours before the alert went out and 103 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 2023-07-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1999 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 2023-07-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 150 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
1999 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
572 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
150 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
140 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.9
Supercell composite
5.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

242 
WHUS42 KILM 161438
CFWILM

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
1038 AM EDT Sun Jul 16 2023

NCZ106-108-170000-
/O.CAN.KILM.BH.S.0026.000000T0000Z-230717T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KILM.RP.S.0014.230716T1438Z-230717T0000Z/
Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-
1038 AM EDT Sun Jul 16 2023

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING...
...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IS CANCELLED...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents. Strong south to north longshore
  current.

* WHERE...Coastal Pender and Coastal New Hanover Counties.

* WHEN...Until 8 PM EDT this evening.

* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away 
  from shore into deeper water.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and
float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a
direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the
shore and call or wave for help.

&&

$$

19
2 follow-up statements
227 
WHUS42 KILM 161753
CFWILM

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
153 PM EDT Sun Jul 16 2023

NCZ107-170000-
/O.NEW.KILM.CF.Y.0072.230717T0200Z-230717T0400Z/
Inland New Hanover-
153 PM EDT Sun Jul 16 2023

...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO
MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT...

* WHAT...Up to one half foot of inundation above ground level 
  expected in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal 
  waterways.

* WHERE...The lower Cape Fear River including downtown 
  Wilmington.

* WHEN...From 10 PM this evening to midnight EDT tonight.

* IMPACTS...The lowest portions of USS North Carolina Road and 
  Battleship Road begin to observe minor coastal flooding. Water 
  begins to spread out of storm drains onto Water Street just 
  south of Market Street in downtown Wilmington.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Affected areas listed are based on 
  average tide conditions. Additional locations may experience 
  flooding during periods of heavy rainfall, high winds, or 
  other factors.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If travel is required, allow extra time as some roads may be
closed. Do not drive around barricades or through water of
unknown depth. Take the necessary actions to protect flood-prone
property.

&&

Time of high total tides are approximate to the nearest hour.

Cape Fear River at Wilmington
MLLW Categories - Minor 5.5 ft, Moderate 6.8 ft, Major 10.0 ft
MHHW Categories - Minor 0.8 ft, Moderate 2.1 ft, Major 5.3 ft

             Total      Total    Departure                   
 Day/Time    Tide       Tide     from Norm   Waves    Flood  
            ft MLLW    ft MHHW       ft       ft      Impact 
 --------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -------  --------
 16/10 PM     5.6        0.9        0.9       N/A     Minor    
 17/10 AM     4.7        0.0        0.8       N/A      None    
 17/11 PM     5.4        0.7        0.7       N/A      None    
 18/11 AM     4.6       -0.1        0.8       N/A      None    
 18/11 PM     5.4        0.7        0.8       N/A      None

&&

$$

NCZ106-108-170000-
/O.CON.KILM.RP.S.0014.000000T0000Z-230717T0000Z/
Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-
153 PM EDT Sun Jul 16 2023

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

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents. Strong north to south longshore
  current.

* WHERE...Coastal Pender and Coastal New Hanover Counties.

* WHEN...Until 8 PM EDT this evening.

* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away 
  from shore into deeper water.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and
float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a
direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the
shore and call or wave for help.

&&

$$

19
397 
WHUS42 KILM 162332
CFWILM

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
732 PM EDT Sun Jul 16 2023

NCZ106-108-170045-
/O.EXP.KILM.RP.S.0014.000000T0000Z-230717T0000Z/
Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-
732 PM EDT Sun Jul 16 2023

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

$$

NCZ107-170400-
/O.CON.KILM.CF.Y.0072.230717T0200Z-230717T0400Z/
Inland New Hanover-
732 PM EDT Sun Jul 16 2023

...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT
TONIGHT...

* WHAT...Up to one half foot of inundation above ground level 
  expected in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal 
  waterways.

* WHERE...The lower Cape Fear River including downtown 
  Wilmington.

* WHEN...Until midnight EDT tonight.

* IMPACTS...The lowest portions of USS North Carolina Road and 
  Battleship Road begin to observe minor coastal flooding. Water 
  begins to spread out of storm drains onto Water Street just 
  south of Market Street in downtown Wilmington.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Affected areas listed are based on 
  average tide conditions. Additional locations may experience 
  flooding during periods of heavy rainfall, high winds, or 
  other factors.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If travel is required, allow extra time as some roads may be
closed. Do not drive around barricades or through water of
unknown depth. Take the necessary actions to protect flood-prone
property.

&&

Time of high total tides are approximate to the nearest hour.

Cape Fear River at Wilmington
MLLW Categories - Minor 5.5 ft, Moderate 6.8 ft, Major 10.0 ft
MHHW Categories - Minor 0.8 ft, Moderate 2.1 ft, Major 5.3 ft

             Total      Total    Departure                   
 Day/Time    Tide       Tide     from Norm   Waves    Flood  
            ft MLLW    ft MHHW       ft       ft      Impact 
 --------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -------  --------
 16/10 PM     5.6        0.9        0.9       N/A     Minor    
 17/10 AM     4.7        0.0        0.8       N/A      None    
 17/11 PM     5.4        0.7        0.7       N/A      None    
 18/11 AM     4.6       -0.1        0.8       N/A      None    
 18/11 PM     5.4        0.7        0.8       N/A      None    
 19/12 PM     4.6       -0.1        0.8       N/A      None

&&

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 16, 3:37 AM EDTBeach Hazards StatementILMNew Hanover, Pender7 hr
Jul 16, 1:53 PM EDTCoastal Flood AdvisoryILMNew Hanover10 hr

Nearby

Rip Current Statements in North Carolina, 2023Every rip current statement in 2023

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.