Beach Hazards Statement 6, NWS Wilmington, NC

106 
WHUS42 KILM 240607
CFWILM

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
207 AM EDT Fri Apr 24 2026

NCZ106-108-SCZ054-056-240715-
/O.CAN.KILM.BH.S.0006.260424T1000Z-260425T0000Z/
Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-Coastal Horry-
Coastal Georgetown-
207 AM EDT Fri Apr 24 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IS CANCELLED...

Longshore current strength is expected to be moderate today.

$$

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
802 PM EDT Thu Apr 23 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Aviation discussion updated for 00z TAFs below.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Above-normal temperatures, low daytime relative humidity, and
zero rain chances through early Saturday afternoon 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... Above-normal temperatures, low daytime
relative humidity, and zero rain chances through early Saturday
afternoon will lead to intensifying drought and fire weather
concerns through the week.

Split upper level flow features near-normal 500 mb heights across
the Carolinas between a ridge over the Great Lakes and a trough over
Florida. Convergence downstream of the split is supporting surface
high pressure off the Southeast U.S. coast, and this should remain
in place through Friday.

This would be a summerlike pattern if not for dry air both within
the boundary layer and aloft. Deep mixing via strong April sun has
created inland mixing heights near 10k feet today. Mixing should be
at least this deep again on Friday, transporting down very dry air
from up within the subsidence inversion aloft. Daytime relative
humidity inland from the seabreeze front should reach 20-25 percent
again on Friday. This is the main weather concern as dry air in
concert with increasing evapotranspiration rates as we push deeper
into Spring will deplete already stressed soil moisture,
groundwater, and river levels across the area. Fire weather concerns
will continue until humidity increases, or better yet, until
substantial rainfall occurs. UNCW-operated gauges on Smith Creek in
Wilmington indicate rising salinity as salt water moves upstream in
the past two weeks from the brackish Cape Fear River due to low
flows.

Highs Friday should again reach the mid to upper 80s inland from the
seabreeze which should keep beaches almost 10 degrees cooler.
Seabreeze winds both this evening and again Friday afternoon/evening
could reach 25 mph in gusts due to the substantial air temperature
contrasts.

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 late Saturday night
into Sunday morning, with another weak front moving through Tuesday.
These features will keep at least low rain chances in the forecast
Saturday afternoon onwards with the best chances Saturday night and
Tuesday. Confidence is increasing in the rainfall associated with
the Sat/Sun front being ~0.25-0.5", with the NBM showing lower
chances Tuesday for rainfall near 0.5", now near 10-20%. The front
Tuesday may drop to our south before stalling near the area which
could keep unsettled weather through the end of the period, adding
additional rainfall though with much lower confidence in totals due
to the possibility of convection and where the front ends up. WPC 7
day rainfall totals have our area in the 0.5-1" range, but this
won't be enough to make up deficits. 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 /00Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
VFR should continue through the period, owing to abundant dry
air and subsidence aloft, and a steady southwesterly to
westerly LLJ of 20-30 kts overnight keeping fog at bay.
Abnormally hot max temperatures inland will result in another
strong sea breeze on Friday, resulting in gusty south to
southwesterly winds at the coastal terminals behind the sea
breeze during mid-late afternoon. Daytime cumulus will have high
bases at around 9-10kft. An isolated shower cannot be ruled out
along the sea breeze with greater moisture in play at the top of
the boundary layer, but confidence is much too low to mention.

Smoke from the large south Georgia wildfire will be transported
northeastward across the Carolinas through Friday. There's a
low chance surface visibility could fall below 7 at local
airports, with the best relative chance at KFLO, although
confidence is too low to mention.

Extended Forecast...VFR conditions should prevail through at least
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 Friday... High pressure off the coast will maintain a
southwesterly synoptic wind through Friday. Away from seabreeze/
landbreeze influences wind speeds should average 15 knots. GFS
Marine MOS Guidance at Wrightsville Beach suggests seabreeze-
enhanced winds could reach as high as 21 knots early this evening
before diminishing overnight. The same synoptic weather pattern will
result in another strong seabreeze Friday afternoon where guidance
suggests 23 knot peak winds Friday evening.

A small easterly 9-second swell will be overlaid by short-period wind
chop with combined seas averaging 3 to 4 feet through Friday.

Friday Night through Tuesday... S/SW winds 15-20 kt expected
through 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 with the NE surge behind the front.
Gusts over the 20-60 NM waters up to 25-30 kt. Winds will come
around to the SW through Tuesday ahead of another cold front.
Seas 2-3 ft will increase to 3-5 ft where they'll stay through
the period.

&&

.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...TRA/LEW
AVIATION...ABW
MARINE...TRA/LEW