Alert archive / North Carolina / Beach Hazards Statements in 2026

Beach Hazards Statement 38, NWS Wilmington, NC

July 21, 2026New Hanover County, Pender County, North Carolina; Georgetown County, Horry County, South Carolina

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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Newport, NC at 00:00Z on 2026-07-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1235 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, Newport, NC at 00:00Z on 2026-07-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 129 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
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

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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...MBB

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 22, 2:33 AM EDTHeat AdvisoryILMBladen, Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, Pender16 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.