Alert archive / North Carolina / Beach Hazards Statements in 2026
Beach Hazards Statement 38, NWS Wilmington, NC
NWS Wilmington, NC issued this beach hazards statement at Jul 21, 2026, 8:14 PM EDT for New Hanover County, Pender County, North Carolina; Georgetown County, Horry County, South Carolina. It took effect at Jul 22, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT. It was in force for 14 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Jul 21, 2026, 8:14 PM EDT (00:14 UTC)
- In effect from
- Jul 22, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT
- Expired
- Jul 22, 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 00:16 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, 0.2 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1235 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -63 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1064 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 26 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 129 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 167 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
734 WHUS42 KILM 220014 CFWILM Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Wilmington NC 814 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026 NCZ106-108-SCZ054-056-230000- /O.NEW.KILM.BH.S.0038.260722T1000Z-260723T0000Z/ Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-Coastal Horry- Coastal Georgetown- 814 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026 ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM EDT WEDNESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING... * WHAT...Strong South to North longshore current expected. There is also a Moderate Risk of rip currents expected. * 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 Wednesday through Wednesday 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. && $$ dch
1 follow-up statement
712 WHUS42 KILM 230001 CFWILM Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Wilmington NC 801 PM EDT Wed Jul 22 2026 NCZ106-108-SCZ054-056-230115- /O.EXP.KILM.BH.S.0038.000000T0000Z-260723T0000Z/ Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-Coastal Horry- Coastal Georgetown- 801 PM EDT Wed Jul 22 2026 ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT HAS EXPIRED... $$
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 Wilmington, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before this beach hazards statement went out at Jul 21, 2:47 PM EDT, 5 hours 27 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- 1)One more day of heat before some much needed rainfall chances.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 21, 2:47 PM EDT, 5 hours 27 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
247 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026
.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
All sections updated with little change to forecast thinking.
&&
.KEY MESSAGES...
1)One more day of heat before some much needed rainfall
chances.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...One more day of heat before some much needed
rainfall chances.
KEY MESSAGE 1 DESCRIPTION...Despite some weakly cyclonic mid
level flow impinging from the north, a precursor to our eventual
troughiness, as well as a continued Piedmont Trough, models are
in good agreement that the area stays rain-free through
Wednesday. Another Heat Advisory will be needed for similar
areas as today. A few showers or storms may pop up Wednesday
night as a prefrontal band of moisture is shunted into the area,
though some guidance keeps this activity to our north. By
Thursday the front drops into the area. This boundary should
stall near the coast bringing a prolonged period of unsettled
weather and some much needed drought releif while breaking the
heat. Of note though that the 5 day QPF forecast from WPC has
pulled some of the higher amounts previously forecast a bit to
the north away from the area.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
Generally VFR. Clouds will tend to be confined to the mid and upper
levels. A Piedmont Trough will keep SW winds rather gusty especially
during daytime hours.
Extended Forecast...Potential for brief MVFR/IFR from storms will
gradually increase beginning Wednesday and remain possible through
Saturday, mainly in the afternoon and evening. More solid
restrictions may arrive Thursday with a frontal passage bringing the
potential for IFR CIGs.
&&
.MARINE...
Tonight through Sunday...The gradient will be tightened between the
Piedmont Trough and offshore high pressure through early Thursday.
As Thursday progresses a front will drop down into the area and push
this gradient further out to sea. SCA currently out through
WEdnesday evening, possibly in need of a slight extension. Waves
will be predominantly wind-driven as opposed to swell driven. The
front never cleanly pushes through the area keeping the late period
winds southwesterly but with much lowers speeds allowing seas to
abate.
&&
.ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...Heat Advisory until 7 PM EDT this evening for NCZ087-096-099-
105>110.
Beach Hazards Statement until 8 PM EDT this evening for NCZ106-
108.
High Risk for Rip Currents until 8 PM EDT this evening for NCZ110.
SC...Heat Advisory until 7 PM EDT this evening for SCZ017-024-033-
054-058-059.
Beach Hazards Statement until 8 PM EDT this evening for SCZ054-
056.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 10 PM EDT Wednesday for AMZ250-252-
254-256.
&&
WHAT HAS CHANGED...ILM/MBB
KEY MESSAGES...MBB
DISCUSSION...MBB
AVIATION...MBB
MARINE...MBBThe office that day
Everything else NWS Wilmington, NC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 22, 2:33 AM EDT | Heat Advisory | ILM | Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, Pender | 16 hr |
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.