Alert archive / North Carolina / Rip Current Statements in 2026
Rip Current Statement 14, NWS Wilmington, NC
NWS Wilmington, NC issued this rip current statement at Aug 2, 2026, 8:02 PM EDT for Georgetown County, Horry County, South Carolina; Brunswick County, New Hanover County, Pender County, North Carolina. It was in force for 24 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Aug 2, 2026, 8:02 PM EDT (00:02 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 3, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 24 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Wilmington, NC
Counties Brunswick County, NC, New Hanover County, NC, Pender County, NC, Georgetown County, SC, Horry County, SC
The radar
The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 3 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:03 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, 0.0 hours before the alert went out and 168 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
- 749 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 732 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 16 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 72 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 54 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
954 WHUS42 KILM 030002 CFWILM Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Wilmington NC 802 PM EDT Sun Aug 2 2026 NCZ106-108-SCZ054-056-031000- /O.NEW.KILM.BH.S.0042.260803T1000Z-260804T0000Z/ /O.NEW.KILM.RP.S.0014.260803T1000Z-260804T0000Z/ Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-Coastal Horry- Coastal Georgetown- 802 PM EDT Sun Aug 2 2026 ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM EDT MONDAY THROUGH MONDAY EVENING... ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM EDT MONDAY THROUGH MONDAY EVENING... * WHAT...For the Beach Hazards Statement, Strong south to north longshore current is expected. For the High Rip Current Risk, dangerous 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 Monday through Monday evening. * IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water. 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... 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. 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. && $$ NCZ110-031000- /O.NEW.KILM.RP.S.0014.260803T0002Z-260804T0000Z/ Coastal Brunswick- 802 PM EDT Sun Aug 2 2026 ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY EVENING... * WHAT...Dangerous rip currents. * WHERE...Coastal Brunswick County. * WHEN...Through Monday evening. * IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help. && $$
2 follow-up statements
938 WHUS42 KILM 030750 CFWILM Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Wilmington NC 350 AM EDT Mon Aug 3 2026 NCZ106-108-SCZ054-056-040000- /O.CAN.KILM.BH.S.0042.260803T1000Z-260804T0000Z/ /O.CON.KILM.RP.S.0014.260803T1000Z-260804T0000Z/ Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-Coastal Horry- Coastal Georgetown- 350 AM EDT Mon Aug 3 2026 ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected along with a strong south to north longshore current. * WHERE...In North Carolina, Coastal Pender and Coastal New Hanover Counties. In South Carolina, Coastal Horry and Coastal Georgetown Counties. * WHEN...Today. * 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. && $$ NCZ110-040000- /O.CON.KILM.RP.S.0014.000000T0000Z-260804T0000Z/ Coastal Brunswick- 350 AM EDT Mon Aug 3 2026 ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Dangerous rip currents. * WHERE...Coastal Brunswick County. * WHEN...Today. * IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help. && $$
425 WHUS42 KILM 032354 CFWILM Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Wilmington NC 754 PM EDT Mon Aug 3 2026 NCZ110-SCZ054-041000- /O.EXP.KILM.RP.S.0014.000000T0000Z-260804T0000Z/ /O.NEW.KILM.RP.S.0015.260804T1000Z-260805T0000Z/ Coastal Brunswick-Coastal Horry- 754 PM EDT Mon Aug 3 2026 ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM EDT TUESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING... ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected. * WHERE...In North Carolina, Coastal Brunswick County. In South Carolina, Northern Coastal Horry County. * WHEN...From 6 AM EDT Tuesday through Tuesday 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. && $$ NCZ106-108-SCZ056-040100- /O.EXP.KILM.RP.S.0014.000000T0000Z-260804T0000Z/ Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-Coastal Georgetown- 754 PM EDT Mon Aug 3 2026 ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... With weakening swell, the rip current risk is expected to be Moderate at local east-facing beaches on Wednesday. $$
The office that day
Everything else NWS Wilmington, NC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2, 8:02 PM EDT | Beach Hazards Statement | ILM | Georgetown, Horry | 8 hr |
| Aug 3, 4:08 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Williamsburg | 37 min |
| Aug 3, 4:38 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Florence | 22 min |
| Aug 3, 5:08 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Marion | 37 min |
| Aug 3, 5:31 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Marlboro | 29 min |
| Aug 3, 5:46 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILM | Marlboro | 16 min |
| Aug 3, 6:07 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | ILM | Darlington, Marlboro | 113 min |
| Aug 3, 6:44 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | ILM | Darlington | 2 hr |
| Aug 3, 7:54 PM EDT | Rip Current Statement | ILM | Horry | 24 hr |
| Aug 3, 3:46 AM EDT | Special Marine Warning | ILM | 89 min | |
| Aug 3, 1:24 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Pender | 36 min |
| Aug 3, 3:37 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | ILM | Columbus | 113 min |
| Aug 3, 4:24 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Brunswick | 36 min |
Nearby
Rip Current Statements in North Carolina, 2026Rip Current Statements in South Carolina, 2026Every rip current 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.