Alert archive / North Carolina / Rip Current Statements in 2026
Rip Current Statement 5, NWS Wilmington, NC
NWS Wilmington, NC issued this rip current statement at May 30, 2026, 7:59 PM EDT for New Hanover County, North Carolina; Georgetown County, South Carolina. It took effect at May 31, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT. It was in force for 14 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- May 30, 2026, 7:59 PM EDT (23:59 UTC)
- In effect from
- May 31, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT
- Expired
- May 31, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 14 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Wilmington, NC
Counties New Hanover County, NC, Georgetown County, SC
The radar
The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 26 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:01 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
Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 12:00Z, 12.0 hours before the alert went out and 165 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
- 1323 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -14 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 773 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 32 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 5 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 12 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.3
The text
As transmitted.
234 WHUS42 KILM 302359 CFWILM Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Wilmington NC 759 PM EDT Sat May 30 2026 NCZ108-SCZ056-311000- /O.NEW.KILM.RP.S.0005.260531T1000Z-260601T0000Z/ Coastal New Hanover-Coastal Georgetown- 759 PM EDT Sat May 30 2026 ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM EDT SUNDAY THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING... * WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected. * WHERE...In North Carolina, Coastal New Hanover County. In South Carolina, Coastal Georgetown County. * WHEN...From 6 AM EDT Sunday through Sunday 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. && $$ 19
3 follow-up statements
303 WHUS42 KILM 310810 CFWILM Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Wilmington NC 410 AM EDT Sun May 31 2026 NCZ108-SCZ056-312300- /O.CON.KILM.RP.S.0005.260531T1000Z-260601T0000Z/ Coastal New Hanover-Coastal Georgetown- 410 AM EDT Sun May 31 2026 ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected. * WHERE...In North Carolina, Coastal New Hanover County. In South Carolina, Coastal Georgetown County. * WHEN...Through this evening. * IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help. && $$
586 WHUS42 KILM 311457 CFWILM Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Wilmington NC 1057 AM EDT Sun May 31 2026 NCZ106-SCZ054-010000- /O.NEW.KILM.BH.S.0015.260531T1457Z-260601T0000Z/ Coastal Pender-Coastal Horry- 1057 AM EDT Sun May 31 2026 ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Strong north to south longshore current. There is also a Moderate Risk of rip currents. * WHERE...In North Carolina, Coastal Pender County. In South Carolina, Coastal Horry County. * WHEN...Until 8 PM EDT this 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. && $$ NCZ108-SCZ056-010000- /O.CON.KILM.RP.S.0005.000000T0000Z-260601T0000Z/ Coastal New Hanover-Coastal Georgetown- 1057 AM EDT Sun May 31 2026 ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Dangerous rip currents. There is also a strong north to south longshore current. * WHERE...In North Carolina, Coastal New Hanover County. In South Carolina, Coastal Georgetown County. * WHEN...Until 8 PM EDT this evening. * IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help. && $$ LEW
977 WHUS42 KILM 312330 CFWILM Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Wilmington NC 730 PM EDT Sun May 31 2026 NCZ106-SCZ054-010030- /O.EXP.KILM.BH.S.0015.000000T0000Z-260601T0000Z/ Coastal Pender-Coastal Horry- 730 PM EDT Sun May 31 2026 ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... $$ NCZ108-SCZ056-010030- /O.EXP.KILM.RP.S.0005.000000T0000Z-260601T0000Z/ Coastal New Hanover-Coastal Georgetown- 730 PM EDT Sun May 31 2026 ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... $$
The office that day
Everything else NWS Wilmington, NC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 30, 11:32 AM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Bladen, Pender | 28 min |
| May 30, 12:02 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Pender | 43 min |
| May 30, 12:45 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | New Hanover | 30 min |
| May 30, 12:51 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Bladen | 24 min |
| May 30, 12:55 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Pender | 35 min |
| May 30, 1:23 PM EDT | Special Marine Warning | ILM | 67 min | |
| May 30, 1:26 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Brunswick | 34 min |
| May 30, 1:47 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | New Hanover | 28 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.