A persistent southeast wind and swell produced strong rip currents at Holden Beach.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS ILM wrote it up.
A persistent southeast wind and swell produced strong rip currents at Holden Beach.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Wilmington, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 4, 9:10 AM EST, 3 hours 50 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 1010 AM EDT THU JUL 4 2013 .SYNOPSIS... BERMUDA HIGH PRESSURE WILL SLOWLY SHIFT WESTWARD AND A DRYING TREND IS IN STORE FOR THE ENTIRE AREA. TYPICAL SUMMERTIME WEATHER WILL DEVELOP SLOWLY FROM EAST TO WEST AND PREVAIL INTO NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 1010 AM THURSDAY...INSTABILITY COUPLED WITH EARLY SURFACE HEATING AND SPEED CONVERGENCE TRACKING ONSHORE IS LEADING TO RAPID SHOWER GROWTH THIS MID-MORNING. BERMUDA HIGH PRESSURE HOWEVER IS PUTTING A PRESS ON VERTICAL GROWTH AND THIS CAN BE SEEN IN MORNING VISIBLE ANIMATIONS WITH PLENTIFUL BUT LOW-TOPPED CUMULUS ACROSS THE REGION. SUSPECT ADDITIONAL SHOWER DEVELOPMENT IS IN STORE INTO THE AFTERNOON BUT COVERAGE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN SCATTERED AND LIMITED IN STRENGTH DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE DRY AIR ALOFT. THUS NO SIGNIFICANT FLOODING THREAT IS ANTICIPATED TODAY...ALTHOUGH ANY HEAVY SHOWERS COULD RESULT IN SLOW DRAINAGE DUE TO WET GROUND. ALSO BELIEVE THE FOCUS FOR THE HIGHER RAIN AMOUNTS WILL SHIFT SHIFT FARTHER INLAND AND WEST OF OUR ZONES THROUGH THE AFTERNOON ASSOCIATED WITH THE BEST SPEED CONVERGENCE. MIDDLE 80S AT THE COAST AND UPPER 80S INLAND FOR MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES LOOKS ON TARGET AND NO MAJOR CHANGES ARE PLANNED WITH FORECAST TEMPS. SATELLITE IMAGERY CONFIRMS 00Z MODEL ANALYSIS OF A POOL OF MID LEVEL MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH AN UPPER DISTURBANCE EAST OF ABACO ISLAND IN THE BAHAMAS. THE DEEP SOUTHEAST FLOW AROUND THE BERMUDA HIGH WILL LIFT THIS MOISTURE INTO SE NORTH CAROLINA AROUND MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. WHILE IT'S ALWAYS TOUGH TO FORECAST WHAT IMPACTS WE WILL SEE FROM SUBTLE UPPER SYSTEMS LIKE THIS...AM FORECASTING A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS ALONG THE COAST AND PENETRATING INLAND ACROSS COASTAL NORTH CAROLINA OVERNIGHT. LOWS SHOULD RANGE FROM 72-77...WARMEST AT THE BEACHES. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 300 AM THURSDAY...THE LATEST GUIDANCE SHOWS THE MASSIVE DEEP LAYER BERMUDA RIDGE WILL CONTINUE TO TRUDGE WEST...GRADUALLY DIMINISHING THE CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. FOR EXAMPLE...PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES GO FROM OVER TWO INCHES EARLY FRIDAY TO APPROXIMATELY 1.5 INCHES LATER IN THE DAY. THEY DROP EVEN MORE DRAMATICALLY BY SUNDAY MORNING TO JUST OVER ONE INCH. FOR THIS REASON I HAVE INCREMENTALLY DECREASED POPS TO REPRESENT THIS TREND. TEMPERATURE GUIDANCE IS IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE MAV NUMBERS SLIGHTLY HIGHER ACROSS THE BOARD WHICH I FAVOR. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 300 AM THURSDAY...MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO ADVERTISE A RETURN TO A ZONAL PATTERN AS THE LONG LIVED AND RETROGRADING TROUGH SLOWLY FILLS. THERE ARE INDICATIONS THE PATTERN MAY ACQUIRE MORE AMPLITUDE ONCE AGAIN WELL BEYOND SEVEN DAYS...BUT THAT IS OBVIOUSLY BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS FORECAST. ALL IN ALL...EXPECT ONLY SLIGHT CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS ON A DIURNAL TREND...AS THERE REMAINS A SUBTLE WEAKNESS IN THE MID LEVEL PATTERN OVER THE SOUTHEAST IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY WITH TEMPERATURES HOVERING WITHIN A COUPLE DEGREES OF CLIMATOLOGY. && .AVIATION /14Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 12Z...EXPECT MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS INLAND TO IMPROVE OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS ALLOWING FOR VFR TO PREVAIL ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA FOR THE REST OF TODAY. INTO THE EVENING HOURS...MVFR/IFR DUE TO LOW CIGS/FOG ANTICIPATED...ESPECIALLY INLAND. IFR DUE TO LOW CIGS/FOG PREVAIL THIS MORNING AT KLBT...WITH VARYING MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS AT KFLO AND VFR AT THE COASTAL SITES. EXPECT CONDITIONS INLAND TO IMPROVE WITHIN THE NEXT FEW HOURS...ALLOWING FOR VFR TO PREVAIL AT ALL SITES. LATEST RADAR IMAGERY DEPICTS A FEW LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS WHICH HAVE PUSHED ONSHORE THIS MORNING. IT IS POSSIBLE THE AREA WILL SEE ISOLATED SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS...HOWEVER GIVEN LOWERED CHANCE...HAVE OPTED TO NOT INCLUDE IN GOING FORECAST. SOUTH-SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE DAY WITH SUSTAINED WINDS BECOMING AOB 12 KTS WITH GUSTS UP TO 20 KTS POSSIBLE ALONG THE COAST. INTO THE EVENING HOURS...GUSTS WILL SUBSIDE AND OVERALL WINDS WILL BECOME LIGHT. LATEST GUIDANCE AND ANALYSIS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT FOR MVFR/IFR DUE TO LOW CIGS AND AREAS OF FOG OVERNIGHT INTO EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. FOR NOW HAVE ONLY INTRODUCED MVFR IN GOING FORECAST. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...POTENTIAL MORNING IFR/MVFR CIGS/VSBYS AND ISOLATED AFTN SHOWERS/T-STORMS THROUGH THE EXTENDED. OTHERWISE EXPECT VFR. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 1010 AM THURSDAY...BERMUDA HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED ABOUT 500 MILES EAST OF CAPE HATTERAS WILL MAINTAIN A SOUTHEASTERLY WIND ACROSS THE WATERS TODAY AND TONIGHT. NOW THAT THE DEEP FLOW OF CARIBBEAN MOISTURE HAS BEEN PUSHED OFF TO THE WEST...ONLY ISOLATED SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED. MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE NEAR- TERM WINDS AND SEAS AND THIS FORECAST IS CHANGED VERY LITTLE FROM YESTERDAY. DOMINANT WAVE PERIODS ARE AROUND 7 SECONDS BUT THERE IS A WIDE SPREAD OF ENERGY ON BUOY SPECTRAL WAVE PLOTS FROM 4-8 SECONDS...ALL FROM THE SOUTHEAST. SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 300 AM THURSDAY...VERY STABLE CONDITIONS ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS FOR THE SHORT TERM AS A SOUTHEAST FLOW OF 10-15 KNOTS SHOULD PREVAIL. THERE MAY BE A LITTLE ACCELERATION IN THE LATE MORNING/AFTERNOON HOURS NEAR SHORE VIA THE SEA BREEZE BUT THIS WILL BE THE ONLY DEVIATION FROM THE SYNOPTIC FLOW. SIGNIFICANT SEAS REMAIN IN A 2-4 FOOT RANGE. LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 300 AM THURSDAY...SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL GREET THE MARINE COMMUNITY SATURDAY MORNING AND PREVAIL MOST OF THE DAY. A SLIGHT TURN TO THE SOUTH/SOUTHWEST WILL OCCUR SUNDAY AS THE BERMUDA HIGH PRESSURE AXIS BUILDS IN. WIND SPEEDS WILL BE TYPICAL OF SUMMER WITH 10-15 KNOTS. MODEL GUIDANCE FOR SIGNIFICANT SEAS SHOWS NOTHING OUTSIDE OF NORMAL VALUES WITH MAINLY WIND DRIVEN SEAS OF 2-4 FEET. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR SCZ054. NC...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR NCZ110. MARINE...NONE. && NEAR TERM...TRA/MJC SHORT TERM...SHK LONG TERM...SHK AVIATION...SGL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 504 AM EDT THU JUL 4 2013 AMZ250-252-254-256-NCZ087-096-099-105-107-109-SCZ017-023-024-032-033- 039-053-055-050900- SURF CITY TO CAPE FEAR NC OUT 20 NM- CAPE FEAR NC TO LITTLE RIVER INLET SC OUT 20 NM- LITTLE RIVER INLET TO MURRELLS INLET SC OUT 20 NM- MURRELLS INLET TO SOUTH SANTEE RIVER SC OUT 20 NM-ROBESON-BLADEN- COLUMBUS-INLAND PENDER-INLAND NEW HANOVER-INLAND BRUNSWICK-MARLBORO- DARLINGTON-DILLON-FLORENCE-MARION-WILLIAMSBURG-INLAND HORRY- INLAND GEORGETOWN- 504 AM EDT THU JUL 4 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS...SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ110-SCZ054-050900- COASTAL BRUNSWICK-COASTAL HORRY- 504 AM EDT THU JUL 4 2013 ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH 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. HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ106-108-SCZ056-050900- COASTAL PENDER-COASTAL NEW HANOVER-COASTAL GEORGETOWN- 504 AM EDT THU JUL 4 2013 ...MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH 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 RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. 9
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 rip current. Local standard time, as filed.
A family of four was near the 100 block of Ocean Boulevard. The father got caught in a rip current and the other family members attempted to rescue him. All were taken to the hospital, where the father later passed away.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rip Current, Coastal Brunswick | 2013-07-04 | 57 | Male | In Water | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, July 2013
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 470612.