Alert archive / North Carolina / Rip Current Statements in 2026
Rip Current Statement 4, NWS Wilmington, NC
NWS Wilmington, NC issued this rip current statement at May 24, 2026, 8:09 PM EDT for New Hanover County, Pender County, North Carolina. It took effect at May 25, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT. It was in force for 14 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- May 24, 2026, 8:09 PM EDT (00:09 UTC)
- In effect from
- May 25, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT
- Expired
- May 25, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 14 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Wilmington, NC
Counties New Hanover County, NC, Pender County, NC
The radar
The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 65 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:09 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 103 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
- 412 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -7 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 700 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 13 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 51 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 93 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
931 WHUS42 KILM 250009 CFWILM Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Wilmington NC 809 PM EDT Sun May 24 2026 NCZ106-108-251200- /O.EXP.KILM.RP.S.0003.000000T0000Z-260525T0000Z/ /O.NEW.KILM.BH.S.0012.260525T1000Z-260526T0000Z/ /O.NEW.KILM.RP.S.0004.260525T1000Z-260526T0000Z/ Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover- 809 PM EDT Sun May 24 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. For the High Rip Current Risk, dangerous rip currents expected. * WHERE...Coastal Pender and Coastal New Hanover 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. && $$
3 follow-up statements
089 WHUS42 KILM 250021 CFWILM Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Wilmington NC 821 PM EDT Sun May 24 2026 NCZ106-108-251200- /O.CAN.KILM.BH.S.0012.260525T1000Z-260526T0000Z/ /O.CON.KILM.RP.S.0004.260525T1000Z-260526T0000Z/ Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover- 821 PM EDT Sun May 24 2026 ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM EDT MONDAY THROUGH MONDAY EVENING... * WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected. A strong south to north longshore current expected. * WHERE...Coastal Pender and Coastal New Hanover Counties. * WHEN...From 6 AM EDT Monday through Monday evening. * IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help. && $$
644 WHUS42 KILM 250640 CFWILM Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Wilmington NC 240 AM EDT Mon May 25 2026 NCZ106-108-260000- /O.CON.KILM.RP.S.0004.260525T1000Z-260526T0000Z/ Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover- 240 AM EDT Mon May 25 2026 ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM EDT THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected. A strong south to north longshore current expected. * WHERE...Coastal Pender and Coastal New Hanover 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. 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. && $$
148 WHUS42 KILM 260016 CFWILM Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Wilmington NC 816 PM EDT Mon May 25 2026 NCZ106-108-260900- /O.EXP.KILM.RP.S.0004.000000T0000Z-260526T0000Z/ /O.NEW.KILM.BH.S.0013.260526T1000Z-260527T0000Z/ Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover- 816 PM EDT Mon May 25 2026 ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM EDT TUESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING... * WHAT...Strong south to north longshore current. There is also a Moderate Risk of rip currents expected. * WHERE...Coastal Pender and Coastal New Hanover Counties. * WHEN...From 6 AM EDT Tuesday through Tuesday evening. * IMPACTS...Longshore currents can sweep swimmers and surfers into rip currents, piers, jetties, and other hazardous areas. It may sweep swimmers off their feet, making it difficult to return to shore. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Caution should be used when in or near the water. Check with lifeguards before entering the ocean for possible hazards you may be swept into. && $$ SCZ054-056-260900- /O.NEW.KILM.BH.S.0013.260526T1000Z-260527T0000Z/ Coastal Horry-Coastal Georgetown- 816 PM EDT Mon May 25 2026 ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM EDT TUESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING... * WHAT...Strong south to north longshore current. There is also a Moderate Risk of rip currents expected. * WHERE...Coastal Horry and Coastal Georgetown Counties. * WHEN...From 6 AM EDT Tuesday through Tuesday 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. && $$ ABW
The office that day
Everything else NWS Wilmington, NC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 24, 8:09 PM EDT | Beach Hazards Statement | ILM | New Hanover, Pender | 12 min |
| May 25, 1:35 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Robeson | 25 min |
Nearby
Rip Current Statements in North 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.