Beach Hazards Statement 18, NWS Newport/Morehead City, NC

758 
WHUS42 KMHX 030734
CFWMHX

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC
334 AM EDT Sun May 3 2026

NCZ203-205-040000-
/O.CON.KMHX.BH.S.0018.260503T1200Z-260504T0000Z/
Northern Outer Banks-Hatteras Island-
334 AM EDT Sun May 3 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT THIS
MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents.

* WHERE...The beaches north of Cape Hatteras.

* WHEN...From 8 AM EDT Sunday through Sunday evening.

* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away 
  from shore into deeper water.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The most likely time for strong rip 
  currents to occur is a couple hours either side of low tide, 
  which will occur around 3:00 PM Sunday.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Life-threatening rip currents. If caught in a rip current, remain
calm. Swim in a direction following the shoreline. If tired,
float or tread water until out of the rip current. If unable to
escape, face the shore and call or wave for help.

&&

$$

020 
WHUS42 KMHX 031417
CFWMHX

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC
1017 AM EDT Sun May 3 2026

NCZ203-205-040000-
/O.CON.KMHX.BH.S.0018.000000T0000Z-260504T0000Z/
Northern Outer Banks-Hatteras Island-
1017 AM EDT Sun May 3 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents.

* WHERE...The beaches north of Cape Hatteras.

* WHEN...Until 8 PM EDT this evening.

* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away 
  from shore into deeper water.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The most likely time for strong rip
  currents to occur is a couple hours either side of low tide,
  which will occur around 3 PM this afternoon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Life-threatening rip currents. If caught in a rip current, remain
calm. Swim in a direction following the shoreline. If tired,
float or tread water until out of the rip current. If unable to
escape, face the shore and call or wave for help.

&&

$$

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC
559 PM EDT Sat May 2 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Late afternoon update:
Minor adjustments to sensible Wx grids for OBX and fresh cut of
winds through the rest of the weekend. Marine hazard timings
have been adjusted; was able to drop Nern inside waters SCA
early.

Previous changes: Minor decreases to QPF and wind gusts for the
remainder of today. Timing of frontal passage Thursday coming
into better focus, resulting in increasing PoPs and wind gusts.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Rain tapers off this evening into tonight as a coastal low
tracks northeastwards while deepening. This low will drag a
frontal system through the area tonight bringing cooler and
drier conditions.

2) Cold front moves through later next week bringing gusty winds
and increasing chances for showers and thunderstorms. Severe
potential exists, but confidence is low.

Marine: Small Craft Advisories in effect today into Sunday

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...Latest surface analysis shows a low that is
gradually deepening about 100 miles east of Cape Hatteras.
Light to moderate rain is spread over the region. As the
afternoon goes on and the low shifts further away, the
expectation is for rain to become more scattered in nature.
Meanwhile, a cold front is currently near Charlotte and
Greensboro and moving east, as noted by NE'rly sfc winds east of
CLT and GSO, and NW'rly sfc winds to the west. Rainfall totals
have been on the lower end of guidance thanks to little to no
instability and a more offshore track of the low. MRMS analysis
shows 0.25"-0.5" of rain fallen over much of the region, with
isolated higher values over N Craven, Beaufort, and Hyde
counties where a stronger shower moved through early this
morning.

Front passes through tonight, with high settling into the
Carolinas tomorrow morning. CAA behind this front will help
temps cool to the 40s inland, near 50 along the coast tomorrow
morning. After tonight, we do see a gradual warming trend as
N'rly winds switch to a S'rly direction allowing for WAA to
overspread ENC.

KEY MESSAGE 2...We continue to monitor Thursday next week for
the potential for showers and strong to potentially severe
thunderstorms. The upper level pattern has come into better
agreement over the past 24 hours with a strong positively
tilted trough in the Plains taking on a more negative tilt as
it tracks over the Eastern Seaboard on Thurs. At the surface, a
wave of low pressure will develop along an approaching cold
front and deepen as it tracks NE'wards into the Northeastern
CONUS while the aforementioned cold front tracks across the
region. EFI and machine learning severe probs are highest in the
Mid-Atlantic and SE US Thursday. In addition to this, latest
guidance continues suggesting this frontal passage occurs Thurs
afternoon and evening. The majority of deterministic models and
ensembles favor this afternoon and evening progression of the
front. The outlier at this point is the ECMWF AI model, which
stubbornly continues to show a morning passage. However, looking
at the EPS AI, the deterministic model seems to be an outlier
even within the ensemble members, as the EPS AI mean wind
directions suggest the later passage. Given the timing,
sufficient instability and strong shear should be in place which
would bring the potential for stronger thunderstorms to
develop. For now it is too far out to determine coverage and
severity of storms with this frontal passage.

An interesting development that has come to light is the
potential for storms to develop behind the front (anafrontal
precip. Should this occur, we would be more stable at the
surface where convection would occur and this would decrease
severe probs.

Regardless of what the instability looks like, we are
forecasting gusty S/SW winds out ahead of the front, supported
by ensemble and AI guidance. Current fcst calls for frequent
gusts around 30 mph inland and 35-40 mph along the coast.

There is still a lot to unpack with this system that is 5 days
out. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and give
updates as more information becomes available.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
Mix of MVFR and IFR conditions across ENC terminals this
afternoon as band of stratiform precipitation spreads across
much of the southeastern coast ahead of a slow-moving front to
our west, while weak low pressure lifts offshore. Overall
upstream trends have shown predominantly MVFR with drops to IFR
in heavier precipitation, and carry this in the near-term
forecast for the next few hours. Conditions are expected to
improve, rather quickly after 00-01z as low offshore departs and
inland frontal boundary decays. VFR expected after 06z for all
terminals, holding strong into Sunday with clear skies and north
winds around 5-10 kt.

Outlook: Predominantly VFR flight conditions should persist into
early next week.

&&

.MARINE...
# --- Update --- #
Winds have been under-performing with weaker low centered
offshore than guidance was previously suggesting. Have updated
winds. Lower winds have allowed the cancellation of CA for
Albemarle, Croatan, and Roanoke Sounds and the Alligator River.

Previous: A deepening low currently located offshore Cape
Hatteras tracks NE'wards and departs the region tonight. This
has resulted in persistent light to moderate rain and
strengthening northerly winds. Current obs show wind gusts 20-30
knots across the region, with potential for gusts up to 35
knots near warmer Gulf Stream waters. The wind forecast has
trended down a couple knots with the further passage of the
coastal low, but all Small Craft Advisories remain in effect
this afternoon.

Seas are currently 3-5 ft for nearshore waters, 5-7 ft for
20-60nm zones. Seas are expected to build a bit more, to 4-7 ft
nearshore, 6-8 ft offshore later this evening. This low then
quickly pushes off to the north and east tonight into Sunday
allowing winds to back to a NW'rly direction and lower to 10-15
kts by Sun with gusts decreasing to 15-20 kts. Seas will
continue to remain elevated across warmer Gulf Stream waters as
well, but should lower below 6 ft for nearshore zones by Sun
afternoon. As a result, this will end all SCA's across our
waters by Sun afternoon.

Outlook: High pressure settling to our east will bring
south/southwest winds at 5-15 kts from Sunday night into mid
week next week. Next cold front moves through late week, with
increasing winds and seas expected both ahead and behind it.
This system is 5 days out which carries a higher level of
uncertainty, but there is potential for gale force
south/southwesterly gusts ahead of the front.

&&

.MHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...Beach Hazards Statement until 8 PM EDT this evening for NCZ203-
     205.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 2 AM EDT Sunday for AMZ135-156-158.
     Small Craft Advisory until 9 PM EDT this evening for AMZ150.
     Small Craft Advisory until 2 PM EDT Sunday for AMZ152-154.

&&

DISCUSSION...RCF/RJ
AVIATION...MS/OJC
MARINE...CEB/RCF/RJ

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC
1024 AM EDT Sat May 2 2026

NCZ029-044>047-079>081-090>092-094-193>195-198-199-031430-
Martin-Pitt-Washington-Tyrrell-Mainland Dare-Greene-Beaufort-
Mainland Hyde-Duplin-Lenoir-Jones-Pamlico-Northern Craven-
Southern Craven-West Carteret-Inland Onslow-Coastal Onslow-
1024 AM EDT Sat May 2 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for eastern North Carolina.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

NCZ196-204-031430-
East Carteret-Ocracoke Island-
1024 AM EDT Sat May 2 2026

...MODERATE RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for eastern North Carolina.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Moderate Rip Current Risk.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

NCZ205-031430-
Hatteras Island-
1024 AM EDT Sat May 2 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING
NORTH OF CAPE HATTERAS...
...MODERATE RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING
SOUTH OF CAPE HATTERAS...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for eastern North Carolina.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Beach Hazards Statement.
   Moderate Rip Current Risk.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

NCZ203-031430-
Northern Outer Banks-
1024 AM EDT Sat May 2 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for eastern North Carolina.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Beach Hazards Statement.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.