Alert archive / Virginia / Beach Hazards Statements in 2026

Beach Hazards Statement 7, NWS Wakefield, VA

June 21, 2026Accomack County, Northampton County, Virginia; Worcester County, Maryland

NWS Wakefield, VA issued this beach hazards statement at Jun 21, 2026, 3:52 PM EDT for Accomack County, Northampton County, Virginia; Worcester County, Maryland. It took effect at Jun 22, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 21, 2026, 3:52 PM EDT (19:52 UTC)
In effect from
Jun 22, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT
Expired
Jun 22, 2026, 10:43 AM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Wakefield, VA

Counties Worcester County, MD, Accomack County, VA, Northampton County, VA

The radar

The Dover AFB radar (KDOX), 120 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:51 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

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 201 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, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 2026-06-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 9 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 2026-06-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 16 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
9 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-86 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1302 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
53 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
16 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
141 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

031 
WHUS41 KAKQ 211952
CFWAKQ

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wakefield VA
352 PM EDT Sun Jun 21 2026

MDZ025-VAZ099-100-220400-
/O.NEW.KAKQ.BH.S.0007.260622T1200Z-260623T0000Z/
Maryland Beaches-Accomack-Northampton-
352 PM EDT Sun Jun 21 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH
MONDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...High risk of rip currents expected.

* WHERE...In Maryland, Maryland Beaches County. In Virginia, 
  Accomack and Northampton Counties.

* WHEN...From Monday morning through Monday evening.

* IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions. Rip
  currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into
  deeper water. Breaking waves of 4 ft or greater can cause neck 
  and back injuries. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions.

&&

$$
3 follow-up statements
392 
WHUS41 KAKQ 220201
CFWAKQ

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wakefield VA
1001 PM EDT Sun Jun 21 2026

MDZ025-VAZ099-100-221015-
/O.CON.KAKQ.BH.S.0007.260622T1200Z-260623T0000Z/
Maryland Beaches-Accomack-Northampton-
1001 PM EDT Sun Jun 21 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT MONDAY
THROUGH MONDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...High risk of rip currents expected.

* WHERE...In Maryland, Maryland Beaches County. In Virginia, 
  Accomack and Northampton Counties.

* WHEN...From Monday morning through Monday evening.

* IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions. Rip 
  currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into 
  deeper water. Breaking waves of 4 ft or greater can cause neck 
  and back injuries.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions.

&&

$$
503 
WHUS41 KAKQ 220548
CFWAKQ

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wakefield VA
148 AM EDT Mon Jun 22 2026

MDZ025-VAZ099-100-221400-
/O.CON.KAKQ.BH.S.0007.260622T1200Z-260623T0000Z/
Maryland Beaches-Accomack-Northampton-
148 AM EDT Mon Jun 22 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT THIS
MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...High risk of rip currents expected.

* WHERE...In Maryland, the Maryland Beaches. In Virginia, 
  Accomack and Northampton Counties.

* WHEN...From 8 AM this morning through this evening.

* IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions. Rip 
  currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into 
  deeper water. Breaking waves of 4 ft or greater can cause neck 
  and back injuries.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions.

&&

$$
786 
WHUS41 KAKQ 221443
CFWAKQ

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wakefield VA
1043 AM EDT Mon Jun 22 2026

MDZ025-VAZ099-100-221545-
/O.CAN.KAKQ.BH.S.0007.000000T0000Z-260623T0000Z/
Maryland Beaches-Accomack-Northampton-
1043 AM EDT Mon Jun 22 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IS CANCELLED...


$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this beach hazards statement went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Wakefield, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this beach hazards statement went out at Jun 21, 3:42 PM EDT, 10 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • 1) Warmer and remaining dry through tonight. 2) Showers and storms return Monday, with some storms potentially becoming strong to severe. A more summer-like pattern takes hold mid to late-week next week. 3) A more summer-like pattern takes hold for mid to late week.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 21, 3:42 PM EDT, 10 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Wakefield VA
342 PM EDT Sun Jun 21 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
No significant changes have been made to the forecast.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Warmer and remaining dry through tonight.

2) Showers and storms return Monday, with some storms
potentially becoming strong to severe. A more summer-like
pattern takes hold mid to late-week next week.

3) A more summer-like pattern takes hold for mid
to late week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
As of 225 PM EDT Sunday...

KEY MESSAGE 1....Warmer and remaining dry through tonight.

Surface high pressure over the mid-Atlantic region gradually
shifts to the south this evening, as an area of low pressure to
our NW approaches the local area. A warm front attached to the
low will lift through the region late tonight, with a resulting
wind shift to the S-SW. Increasing moisture within the
southerly flow is also forecast, with dew points climbing into
the upper 60s to lower 70s by Monday morning. Rain will remain
out of the forecast today and tonight, returning on Monday.

KEY MESSAGE 2...Showers and storms return Monday, with some storms
potentially becoming strong to severe.

First, it is worth noting one substantial mesoscale wild card
that could again throw a wrench into Monday's severe and thermal
evolution. Latest 12z/21 CAMs continue to track a potential
MCS/MCV that could develop this evening and track across N KY
and S OH late tonight. While the multi-model consensus is quick
to wash out this activity with loss of heating, as is often the
case with nocturnal convection, there is some support for some
LLJ enhancement that could allow the MCV to push into S WV/W VA
by early Monday morning. If this feature can push that far east,
its remnant debris cloud shield or at least a stabilized cold
pool could spill into our northern and western counties Monday
morning. Much like the system that quickly altered expectations
late last week, this would more substantially limit morning
insolation, strengthening or at least delaying cap erosion, or
prematurely forcing early convective initiation along leftover
outflow boundaries. While this is admittedly a low probability
solution, given the inherent volatility with CAMs, confidence in
the exact timing and coverage of Monday's severe threat remains
limited until the evolution of this overnight complex becomes
clearer.

Provided that wave of convection weakens as modeled, increasingly
breezy S-SW winds are then expected by midday Monday in the
wake of the attendant surface warm front lifting across the area
Monday morning, while a surface low tracks to our N-NW. Gusts
of 20-25 mph, up to 30 mph on the Eastern Shore, are forecast
during the afternoon outside of any convective development.
Increasing moisture may lead to a bit more cloud cover than
previous days, but temperatures will still rise well into the
90s, yielding afternoon heat indices in the upper 90s to low
100s.

Forecast soundings show increasing instability by early
afternoon, but also highlight some lingering convective
inhibition that will need to be overcome. It still appears that
rain chances will ramp up after 3 to 4 PM Monday as the cap
erodes. SPC has maintained a Slight Risk (Level 2 of 5) for
severe weather for most of the area Monday, noting that while
the environment could support multiple storm modes, damaging
winds remain the primary threat. However, the tornado threat
will be relatively maximized across our northern tier of the MD
Eastern Shore counties right along the southern periphery of
the warm front. Meanwhile, small to marginally severe hail will
also be possible area wide within the strongest updrafts.

In terms of storm mode, multicellular storms and bowing line
segments are favored at this time. Deep-layer bulk shear is not
expected to be overly strong, ranging from ~25-35 kt across the
far north, tapering to ~20 kt south of Interstate 64. However,
low-level lapse rates will again be quite steep due to very warm
surface temperatures, favoring the potential for cold-pool
dominated storms with water-loaded downdrafts. Additionally,
PWAT values increase to 1.75-2.00" through the day, leading to
the potential for locally heavy rainfall. Widespread flooding
issues are certainly not expected given very dry antecedent
conditions, but we will need to monitor urban and typical poor-
drainage areas. Current QPF values range from around 0.25" in
the southeast to near 1.00" in the northwest, though localized
totals over an inch are entirely possible in the stronger
storms. The shower and storm threat will continue through the
evening before tapering off overnight.

KEY MESSAGE 3...A more summer-like pattern takes hold for mid
to late week.

The front drops across the area on Tuesday, though the timing
might be slow enough that southeast VA and northeast NC may
still be able to warm up into the upper 80s with dew points in
the upper 60s to lower 70s. Most guidance suggests that enough
instability will linger across the area, especially near the
coast, to support some additional shower and thunderstorm
development Tuesday afternoon. This potential would be largely
mitigated if the frontal timing ultimately trends a bit quicker,
with time. For now, we have maintained low-end rain chances
through Tuesday afternoon until better multi-model consensus can
be reached.

For the remainder of the week, a more typical summertime
pattern sets up for late week. Mainly seasonable temperatures
are expected, with diurnally driven, scattered late-day and
evening showers and storms possible each day. Expect highs
mainly in the upper 80s and low 90s, with overnight lows in the
60s to near 70.

&&

.AVIATION /19Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
As of 145 PM EDT Sunday...

VFR conditions at all terminals to begin the TAF period. W-SW
winds inland ~5-10 kt, with seabreeze circulations making for
more variable winds out of the N-NE at PHF and E-SE at ORF and
potentially ECG later this afternoon. Winds veer to the S-SE
this evening into late tonight across all terminals as a warm
front starts to lift across the area. FEW-SCT high levels clouds
are forecast through tomorrow morning.

Outlook: Rain and thunderstorm chances will increase late
Monday afternoon through Tuesday. A more typical summertime
pattern evolves for the latter half of the week, with mostly
VFR conditions. However, but can't rule out a few diurnally-
driven late day/evening tstms, with scattered early morning VSBY
restrictions due to early morning MIFG also possible.

&&

.MARINE...
As of 345 PM EDT Sunday...

Key Messages:

- Benign marine conditions continue today and through most of
  tonight.

- S-SE winds strengthen on Monday ahead of the next system with Small
  Craft Advisories issued for all marine zones north of the
  VA/NC border from Monday through parts of Monday night.

Weak surface high pressure remains over most of eastern CONUS this
afternoon, allowing benign marine conditions with mostly southerly
winds around 5-10 kt. With the light flow, seas breezes are
expected. A low pressure system tracks towards the area tonight from
the mid-Mississippi River Valley, passing just to the north of the
area Monday night. The low will drag a warm front through the area
tonight, reinforcing the S-SE flow with wind speeds around 10-15 kt
before sunrise. Winds increase to 15-20 kt on the rivers, and 20-25
kt across part of the bay and the offshore waters north of the VA-NC
border (with gusts to 30 kt) behind the warm front during the day
Monday. Winds will be a few knots less across the NC waters. Wind
speeds will peak late Monday afternoon into the early evening before
leveling off or diminishing slightly into Tuesday morning. Seas will
build to 3-4 ft south/4-6 ft north. Small Craft Advisories remain in
effect for all marine zones north of the VA/NC border from late
monday morning through Monday night.

Additionally, isolated strong to severe storms are possible late
Monday afternoon into Monday evening, which will likely necessitate
SMWs. As the low tracks to our north, a weak cold front will cross
the waters Monday night. By Tuesday morning, winds will have shifted
out of the N-NW around 5-10 kt. Winds will likely increase slightly
Tuesday night to ~10 kt with gusts to 15 kt, but looks to stay below
SCA criteria in the Ches. Bay. Improving marine conditions are
expected Tuesday night through midweek as high pressure returns.

A low rip current risk remains in place today across all area
beaches. Monday, the rip risk increases to high across the northern
beaches and moderates across VA Beach and Eastern Currituck.

&&

.AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MD...None.
NC...None.
VA...None.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory from 10 AM Monday to 1 AM EDT Tuesday for
     ANZ630>632-634.
     Small Craft Advisory from 10 AM to 10 PM EDT Monday for
     ANZ635>637-639.
     Small Craft Advisory from 10 AM Monday to 4 AM EDT Tuesday for
     ANZ650-652.
     Small Craft Advisory from 1 PM Monday to 1 AM EDT Tuesday for
     ANZ654-656.

&&

DISCUSSION...MAM/NB
AVIATION...MAM/NB
MARINE...ERI/KMC
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 21, 4:11 AM EDT, 11 hours 41 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Wakefield VA
411 AM EDT Sun Jun 21 2026

MDZ021>025-NCZ012>017-030>032-102-VAZ048-060>062-064>069-075>090-092-
097>100-509>525-528>531-220815-
Dorchester-Wicomico-Somerset-Inland Worcester-Maryland Beaches-
Northampton-Hertford-Gates-Pasquotank-Camden-Western Currituck-
Bertie-Chowan-Perquimans-Eastern Currituck-Fluvanna-Prince Edward-
Cumberland-Goochland-Caroline-Mecklenburg-Lunenburg-Nottoway-Amelia-
Powhatan-Westmoreland-Richmond-Northumberland-Lancaster-Brunswick-
Dinwiddie-Prince George (including Hopewell and Petersburg)-
Charles City-New Kent-Gloucester-Middlesex-Mathews-Greensville-
Sussex-Surry-James City-Southampton-Chesapeake-Virginia Beach-
Accomack-Western Louisa-Eastern Louisa-Western Hanover-
Eastern Hanover-Western Chesterfield-
Eastern Chesterfield (Including Col. Heights)-
Western Henrico (Including the City of Richmond)-Eastern Henrico-
Western King William-Eastern King William-Western King and Queen-
Eastern King and Queen-Western Essex-Eastern Essex-York-Newport News-
Hampton/Poquoson-Isle of Wight-Suffolk-Norfolk-Portsmouth-
411 AM EDT Sun Jun 21 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southeast Maryland, northeast
North Carolina, central Virginia, east central Virginia, eastern
Virginia, north central Virginia, south central Virginia and
southeast Virginia.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

Isolated strong to severe storms will be possible Monday afternoon
and evening. Damaging wind gusts will be the main threat.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Wakefield, VA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 21, 2:06 AM EDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAKQ47 hr

Nearby

Beach Hazards Statements in Virginia, 2026Beach Hazards Statements in Maryland, 2026Every beach hazards statement in 2026

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.