Alert archive / North Carolina / Rip Current Statements in 2025

Rip Current Statement 9, NWS Wilmington, NC

May 28, 2025New Hanover County, Pender County, North Carolina

NWS Wilmington, NC issued this rip current statement at May 28, 2025, 3:09 AM EDT for New Hanover County, Pender County, North Carolina. It took effect at May 28, 2025, 6:00 AM EDT. It was in force for 14 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: May 28, 2025, 3:09 AM EDT (07:09 UTC)
In effect from: May 28, 2025, 6:00 AM EDT
Expired: May 28, 2025, 8:00 PM EDT
In force: 14 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 07:10 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 00:00Z, 7.2 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 577 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 33 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 167 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 371 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

479 
WHUS42 KILM 280709
CFWILM

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
309 AM EDT Wed May 28 2025

NCZ106-108-290000-
/O.NEW.KILM.RP.S.0009.250528T1000Z-250529T0000Z/
Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-
309 AM EDT Wed May 28 2025

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

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected.

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

* WHEN...Through 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.

&&

$$

LEW

2 follow-up statements

990 
WHUS42 KILM 281759
CFWILM

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
159 PM EDT Wed May 28 2025

NCZ107-290500-
/O.NEW.KILM.CF.Y.0014.250529T0300Z-250529T0500Z/
Inland New Hanover-
159 PM EDT Wed May 28 2025

...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO
1 AM EDT THURSDAY...

* 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 11 PM this evening to 1 AM EDT Thursday.

* 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 
 --------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -------  --------
 29/12 AM     5.6        0.9        0.4       N/A     Minor    
 29/12 PM     4.4       -0.3        0.3       N/A      None    
 30/01 AM     5.2        0.5        0.2       N/A      None    
 30/01 PM     4.5       -0.2        0.4       N/A      None    
 31/02 AM     5.0        0.3        0.2       N/A      None

&&

$$

NCZ106-108-290000-
/O.CON.KILM.RP.S.0009.000000T0000Z-250529T0000Z/
Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-
159 PM EDT Wed May 28 2025

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

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents.

* 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.

&&

$$

21

292 
WHUS42 KILM 282352
CFWILM

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
752 PM EDT Wed May 28 2025

NCZ106-108-290100-
/O.EXP.KILM.RP.S.0009.000000T0000Z-250529T0000Z/
Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-
752 PM EDT Wed May 28 2025

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

$$

NCZ107-290500-
/O.CON.KILM.CF.Y.0014.250529T0300Z-250529T0500Z/
Inland New Hanover-
752 PM EDT Wed May 28 2025

...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS
EVENING TO 1 AM EDT THURSDAY...

* 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 11 PM this evening to 1 AM EDT Thursday.

* 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 
 --------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -------  --------
 29/12 AM     5.6        0.9        0.4       N/A     Minor    
 29/12 PM     4.4       -0.3        0.3       N/A      None    
 30/01 AM     5.2        0.5        0.2       N/A      None    
 30/01 PM     4.5       -0.2        0.4       N/A      None    
 31/02 AM     5.0        0.3        0.2       N/A      None    
 31/02 PM     4.5       -0.2        0.4       N/A      None

&&

$$

IGB

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 27, 10:51 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning Considerable damage threat	ILM	Brunswick	3 hr
May 27, 11:09 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	ILM		96 min
May 28, 1:59 PM EDT	Coastal Flood Advisory	ILM	New Hanover	11 hr

Nearby

Rip Current Statements in North Carolina, 2025 Every rip current statement in 2025

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.