Alert archive / North Carolina / Rip Current Statements in 2026

Rip Current Statement 8, NWS Wilmington, NC

June 18, 2026Brunswick County, North Carolina; Horry County, South Carolina

NWS Wilmington, NC issued this rip current statement at Jun 18, 2026, 8:24 PM EDT for Brunswick County, North Carolina; Horry County, South Carolina. It took effect at Jun 19, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT. It was in force for 14 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 18, 2026, 8:24 PM EDT (00:24 UTC)
In effect from
Jun 19, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT
Expired
Jun 19, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT
In force
14 hr
Issued by
NWS Wilmington, NC

Counties Brunswick County, NC, Horry County, SC

The radar

The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 16 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:26 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 00:00Z, 0.4 hours before the alert went out and 176 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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Charleston AFB, SC at 00:00Z on 2026-06-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 638 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Charleston AFB, SC at 00:00Z on 2026-06-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 61 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
638 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-105 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1037 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
61 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
74 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

710 
WHUS42 KILM 190024
CFWILM

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
824 PM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

NCZ106-108-SCZ054-056-200000-
/O.NEW.KILM.BH.S.0022.260619T1200Z-260620T0000Z/
Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-Coastal Horry-
Coastal Georgetown-
824 PM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT FRIDAY THROUGH
FRIDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...Strong south to north longshore current. There is also a
  Moderate Risk of 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 8 AM EDT Friday through Friday 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.

&&

$$

NCZ110-200000-
/O.NEW.KILM.RP.S.0008.260619T1200Z-260620T0000Z/
Coastal Brunswick-
824 PM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT FRIDAY THROUGH
FRIDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected. A strong west to east
  longshore current will also develop by afternoon.

* WHERE...Coastal Brunswick County.

* WHEN...From 8 AM EDT Friday through Friday 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.

&&

$$

31
2 follow-up statements
173 
WHUS42 KILM 190652
CFWILM

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
252 AM EDT Fri Jun 19 2026

SCZ054-200000-
/O.CAN.KILM.BH.S.0022.260619T1200Z-260620T0000Z/
/O.EXB.KILM.RP.S.0008.260619T1000Z-260620T0000Z/
Coastal Horry-
252 AM EDT Fri Jun 19 2026

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM EDT THIS MORNING
THROUGH THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected. Strong south to north
  longshore current also expected.

* WHERE...Coastal Horry County, mainly north of Myrtle Beach.

* 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.

&&

$$

NCZ106-108-SCZ056-200000-
/O.EXT.KILM.BH.S.0022.260619T1000Z-260620T0000Z/
Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-Coastal Georgetown-
252 AM EDT Fri Jun 19 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT NOW IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM EDT THIS
MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...Strong south to north longshore current. There is also a
  Moderate Risk of rip currents.

* WHERE...In North Carolina, Coastal Pender and Coastal New 
  Hanover Counties. In South Carolina, Coastal Georgetown County.

* WHEN...Today.

* 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.

&&

$$

NCZ110-200000-
/O.EXT.KILM.RP.S.0008.260619T1000Z-260620T0000Z/
Coastal Brunswick-
252 AM EDT Fri Jun 19 2026

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK NOW IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM EDT THIS MORNING
THROUGH THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected.

* 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.

&&

$$
127 
WHUS42 KILM 192342
CFWILM

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
742 PM EDT Fri Jun 19 2026

NCZ106-108-SCZ056-200045-
/O.EXP.KILM.BH.S.0022.000000T0000Z-260620T0000Z/
Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover-Coastal Georgetown-
742 PM EDT Fri Jun 19 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT FOR STRONG SOUTH TO NORTH LONGSHORE
CURRENT WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

$$

NCZ110-SCZ054-200045-
/O.EXP.KILM.RP.S.0008.000000T0000Z-260620T0000Z/
Coastal Brunswick-Coastal Horry-
742 PM EDT Fri Jun 19 2026

...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

$$

DCH

The office that day

Everything else NWS Wilmington, NC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 18, 8:02 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementILMBladen28 min
Jun 18, 8:24 PM EDTBeach Hazards StatementILMNew Hanover, Pender24 hr
Jun 18, 11:11 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningILM70 min
Jun 19, 9:39 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementILMNew Hanover36 min
Jun 19, 2:19 PM EDTSmall Craft AdvisoryILM4 hr

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.