Beach Hazards Statement 5, NWS Wilmington, NC

043 
WHUS42 KILM 232356
CFWILM

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
756 PM EDT Thu Apr 23 2026

NCZ106-108-SCZ054-056-240100-
/O.EXP.KILM.BH.S.0005.000000T0000Z-260424T0000Z/
Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-Coastal Horry-
Coastal Georgetown-
756 PM EDT Thu Apr 23 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

$$

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
644 AM EDT Thu Apr 23 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
No significant changes from the previous forecast with this
update. Aviation discussion updated for 12z TAFs below.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Warming temperatures, low daytime relative humidity, and zero
rain chances through at least Saturday morning will lead to
intensifying drought and fire weather concerns through the week.

2) No significant impact on drought conditions expected despite
best rain chances/amounts in quite some time this weekend into
next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1... Warming temperatures, low daytime relative
humidity, and zero rain chances through at least Saturday
morning will lead to intensifying drought and fire weather
concerns through the week.

Weak ridging aloft will support surface high pressure off the
Southeast Coast through early Saturday, maintaining dry weather
and gradually warming temperatures each day. Strong April sun
will mix down dry air from within the subsidence inversion
aloft, plunging inland dewpoints down into the 40s today and
Friday afternoons with minimum relative humidity expected to
bottom out in the 20-25 percent range. West-southwest winds will
be fairly mild through Friday, and therefore fire danger
statements will likely not be needed.

Above normal 850 mb temps should support high temperatures in
the mid to upper 80s through Saturday, with moderate to strong
seabreezes keeping coastal highs 5-10 degrees cooler.

Drought continues to worsen across the Carolinas as the last
measurable rain occurred two and a half weeks ago on April 5-6.
Two-month rainfall totals have only been 30-50 percent of
normal, and six month accumulated rainfall is 6 to 10 inches
below normal. Increasing plant transpiration as we move deeper
into spring is leading to rapid decreases in soil moisture. The
USGS Waterlevel Dashboard site shows local river levels have
been steadily decreasing since March and about half of our
gauges are at their lowest ever recorded stages for this date.

Lastly, HRRR surface smoke fields show that trajectories
originating from the large wildfire east of Valdosta, GA will
be pointed northward across the eastern Carolinas today. While
the sky will likely have a smoky haze to it across our entire
area, the SC Dept of Environmental Services is forecasting
adverse air quality across Georgetown and Williamsburg counties.
An Air Quality Alert is being issued for these two counties
through this evening.

KEY MESSAGE 2... No significant impact on drought conditions
expected despite best rain chances/amounts in quite some time
this weekend into next week.

A frontal system will drag a cold front through Saturday night,
with another weak front moving through around Tuesday. These
features will keep at least low rain chances in the forecast
Saturday afternoon onwards with the best chances Saturday night
and Tuesday. The NBM continues to indicate a ~40-50% chance of
at least 0.5" for Saturday night/Sunday and a ~20-30% chance
for similar amounts Tuesday/Tuesday night. Widespread total
amounts of ~0.25-0.5" won't do much to improve the ongoing
drought. According to our climate sites, we're 0% of our normal
rainfall (~1-1.5") for the past 2 weeks. Embedded thunderstorms
are possible with both frontal passages, but severe weather is
not expected at this time. The frontal passage on Tuesday
appears more favorable for low severe chances, but it is still
uncertain at this time.

&&

.AVIATION /12Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
VFR. West-southwest winds 5-10 kts will prevail through the 12z
TAF period, with pinned sea breeze turning winds a bit more
southerly along the coast with gusts around 15 kts this
afternoon.

Extended Forecast...VFR conditions should prevail through
midday Saturday. Showers associated with an approaching cold
front could bring MVFR conditions Saturday afternoon through
Sunday. Northeasterly wind gusts to 25 knots are possible behind
the front Monday.

&&

.MARINE...
Through Tonight... West-southwest winds 15-20 kts will prevail
across the local waters through tonight due to offshore high
pressure, with gusts around 25 kts for the 20-60nm offshore
waters off the SE NC coast. Seas generally in the 2-4 ft range
today and tonight, mix of E swell and SW wind wave.

Friday through Monday... S/SW winds up to 15-20 kt are expected
Friday and Saturday ahead of a cold front which drops through
the waters late Saturday night. Winds then shift to the NE for
Sunday and Monday, with a low chance of SCA conditions Sunday
night over coastal waters as sfc high pressure builds to the
north and the pressure gradient tightens locally. Gusts over the
20-60 NM waters up to 25-30 kt.

&&

.ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...None.
SC...Air Quality Alert until midnight EDT tonight for SCZ039-055-
     056.
MARINE...None.

&&

WHAT HAS CHANGED...ILM
KEY MESSAGES...ILM
DISCUSSION...ILM
AVIATION...VAO
MARINE...MAS/VAO