Alert archive / North Carolina / Beach Hazards Statements in 2026

Beach Hazards Statement 21, NWS Wilmington, NC

June 18, 2026New Hanover County, Pender County, North Carolina; Georgetown County, Horry County, South Carolina

NWS Wilmington, NC issued this beach hazards statement at Jun 18, 2026, 3:08 AM EDT for New Hanover County, Pender County, North Carolina; Georgetown County, Horry County, South Carolina. It took effect at Jun 18, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT. It was in force for 14 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 18, 2026, 3:08 AM EDT (07:08 UTC)
In effect from
Jun 18, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT
Expired
Jun 18, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT
In force
14 hr
Issued by
NWS Wilmington, NC

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

The radar

The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 7 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, 7.1 hours before the alert went out and 172 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 00:00Z on 2026-06-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 881 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 00:00Z on 2026-06-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 76 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
881 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-15 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
763 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
37 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
76 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
120 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.3
Supercell composite
3.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

814 
WHUS42 KILM 180708
CFWILM

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
308 AM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

NCZ106-108-SCZ054-056-182300-
/O.NEW.KILM.BH.S.0021.260618T1000Z-260619T0000Z/
Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-Coastal Horry-
Coastal Georgetown-
308 AM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM EDT THIS MORNING
THROUGH THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...Strong south to north longshore current. There is also a
  Moderate Risk of rip currents expected for Brunswick County
  beaches.

* WHERE...In North Carolina, Coastal Pender and Coastal New 
  Hanover Counties. In South Carolina, Coastal Horry and Coastal 
  Georgetown Counties.

* WHEN...From 6 AM EDT this morning through this evening.

* IMPACTS...Longshore currents can sweep swimmers and surfers 
  into rip currents, piers, jetties, and other hazardous areas. 
  It may sweep swimmers off their feet, making it difficult to 
  return to shore.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Caution should be used when in or near the water. Check with
lifeguards before entering the ocean for possible hazards you may
be swept into.

&&

$$
2 follow-up statements
543 
WHUS42 KILM 181446
CFWILM

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
1046 AM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

NCZ110-190000-
/O.NEW.KILM.RP.S.0007.260618T1446Z-260619T0000Z/
Coastal Brunswick-
1046 AM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

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

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents.

* WHERE...Coastal Brunswick County.

* 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.

&&

$$

NCZ106-108-SCZ054-056-190000-
/O.CON.KILM.BH.S.0021.000000T0000Z-260619T0000Z/
Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-Coastal Horry-
Coastal Georgetown-
1046 AM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...

* WHAT...Strong south to north longshore current. There is also a
  Moderate Risk of rip currents for Pender and northern Horry.

* WHERE...In North Carolina, Coastal Pender and Coastal New 
  Hanover Counties. In South Carolina, Coastal Horry and Coastal 
  Georgetown Counties.

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

* IMPACTS...Longshore currents can sweep swimmers and surfers 
  into rip currents, piers, jetties, and other hazardous areas. 
  It may sweep swimmers off their feet, making it difficult to 
  return to shore.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Caution should be used when in or near the water. Check with
lifeguards before entering the ocean for possible hazards you may
be swept into.

&&

$$

19
446 
WHUS42 KILM 190001
CFWILM

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
801 PM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

NCZ106-108-SCZ054-056-190115-
/O.EXP.KILM.BH.S.0021.000000T0000Z-260619T0000Z/
Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-Coastal Horry-
Coastal Georgetown-
801 PM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT HAS EXPIRED...

$$

NCZ110-190115-
/O.EXP.KILM.RP.S.0007.000000T0000Z-260619T0000Z/
Coastal Brunswick-
801 PM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK HAS EXPIRED...

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 18, 1:36 AM EDTHeat AdvisoryILMBladen, Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, Pender, Robeson18 hr
Jun 18, 10:46 AM EDTRip Current StatementILMBrunswick9 hr
Jun 18, 2:26 PM EDTGale WarningILM24 hr
Jun 18, 7:24 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementILMRobeson36 min
Jun 18, 6:16 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementILMDarlington29 min

Nearby

Beach Hazards Statements in North Carolina, 2026Beach Hazards Statements in South Carolina, 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.