Strong rip currents led to a drowning at Kure Beach, NC around noon on July 4th.
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The episode as NWS ILM wrote it up.
Strong rip currents led to a drowning at Kure Beach, NC around noon on July 4th.
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, 12:20 PM EST, 40 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 120 PM EDT Thu Jul 4 2024 .SYNOPSIS... High pressure will move offshore bringing warmer and more humid air to the Carolinas. Daytime heat indices could exceed 105 degrees beginning Friday. Thunderstorm chances will increase this weekend into early next week as a cold front stalls inland. && .UPDATE... No changes to the forecast this morning. Neighbors and I collaborated that there will be no need for a Heat Advisory today. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Latest surface analysis shows broad high pressure that extends up and down the entire eastern seaboard. The old frontal boundary in SC Lowcountry is still hanging on, but has made a slight northward push into the Sea Islands of Beaufort County, SC. Meanwhile, the anticyclone continues to spin over the Deep South. Surface high pressure moves offshore today, which increases the onshore flow across the area. Subsidence keeps rain chances at bay, with a stout inversion noted at around 700mb. The bad news is that heat and humidity is on the rise, and heat indices will hit the triple digits today for the first time since last weekend. We don't quite hit Heat Advisory criteria (heat index of 105-109 degrees for 2+ hours), but it doesn't necessarily matter. Keep up the water intake, wear light clothing, and limit the outdoor activities. Stay frosty. Lows tonight in the mid-to-upper 70s for most. Some of the typical cool spots may try to dip down into the upper 60s. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... Highlights: *Unseasonably hot and humid through the period with Heat Advisories likely and possibly also Excessive Heat Warnings Confidence: *Moderate to High Details: Main concern this period is the excessive heat and humidity as an unusually warm air mass under deep high pressure prevails. This will generally keep rain chances limited until possibly Saturday afternoon across inland areas where moisture/forcing will be a bit more favorable. Fortunately, the severe storm threat appears pretty low given the lack of deep layer shear. However, minor flooding is probably more of a threat given the potential of heavy rainfall given the plentiful moisture (PWAT >2") and weak deep layer flow. Temps should be above normal through the period with highs mostly in the mid to upper 90s and lows mainly in the mid to upper 70s. Heat indices should peak mostly below Excessive Heat Warning criteria (110 degrees) Friday with Heat Advisories most likely away from the immediate coast. On Saturday heat indices should be similar despite possibly lower temps since dewpoints should be a bit higher. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... Highlights: *Dangerous heat/humidity possible through the period Confidence: *Moderate Details: An upper low offshore early in the week could help weaken the upper ridge a bit but generally looks like the ridge will remain in place. At the surface, an approaching cold front should lose steam as it heads our way early in the week but could help increase rain chances a bit. Although can't rule out a few severe storms through the period, the bigger concern will likely continue to be the heavy rain and minor flood potential. Models currently suggest some decent rain potential this period, especially inland where drought conditions are the worse. Although temps will be greatly dependent on the rain/cloud coverage we should have at least a slight risk for Heat Advisory potential each day, especially away from the immediate coastal areas. && .AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... VFR through the period. Winds will become light and somewhat variable tonight, with a SW component coming to dominate Friday. There is one or two pieces of model guidance that depict short-lived showers tonight at ILM roughly 09-12Z but they are not the accepted solution at this time. Extended Outlook...VFR through the end of the week outside of the potential for morning fog and stratus. Slight chance of flight restrictions this weekend and into early next week as chances for convection return. && .MARINE... Through Tonight...Southeasterly winds become SSW by tonight. Sustained speeds at 5-10kts to start, and then kick up to 10-15kts this afternoon and evening. Seas linger at 1-3ft, with an easterly swell at 6-7 seconds, and then long period southeasterly swells at 12-14 seconds (from Hurricane Beryl). Friday through Monday...Atlantic high pressure will prevail with a cold front likely stalling out inland early next week. Although winds will be elevated at times, mainly each afternoon due to the sea breeze, they should mostly stay 20 kt or less. Seas will stay 4 ft or less with wave periods diminishing through the period as the SE swells subside. Thus, not expecting any Small Craft Advisories. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...None. SC...None. MARINE...None. && SYNOPSIS...ILM UPDATE...IGB NEAR TERM...IGB SHORT TERM...RJB LONG TERM...RJB AVIATION...MBB
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wilmington NC 141 PM EDT Thu Jul 4 2024 SCZ054-056-051745- Coastal Horry-Coastal Georgetown- 141 PM EDT Thu Jul 4 2024 ...MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast South Carolina. .DAY ONE...This afternoon 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. An elevated risk of rip currents is likely into the weekend due to long period swells from Hurricane Beryl. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. NCZ110-051745- Coastal Brunswick- 141 PM EDT Thu Jul 4 2024 ...MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southeast North Carolina. .DAY ONE...This afternoon 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. An elevated risk of rip currents is possible into the weekend due to long period swells from Hurricane Beryl. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. NCZ087-096-099-105-107-109-SCZ017-023-024-032-033-039-055-058-059- 051745- Robeson-Bladen-Columbus-Inland Pender-Inland New Hanover- Inland Brunswick-Marlboro-Darlington-Dillon-Florence-Marion- Williamsburg-Inland Georgetown-Central Horry-Northern Horry- 141 PM EDT Thu Jul 4 2024 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southeast North Carolina and northeast South Carolina. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. A Heat Advisory will likely be needed Friday and Saturday with heat indices in excess of 105 degrees. Heat indices may exceed 105 degrees each afternoon into early next week. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. AMZ250-252-254-256-051745- Coastal waters from Surf City to Cape Fear NC out 20 nm- Coastal waters from Cape Fear NC to Little River Inlet SC out 20 nm- Coastal waters from Little River Inlet to Murrells Inlet SC out 20 nm- Coastal waters from Murrells Inlet to South Santee River SC out 20 nm- 141 PM EDT Thu Jul 4 2024 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the adjacent Coastal Waters. .DAY ONE...This afternoon 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. NCZ106-108-051745- Coastal Pender-Coastal New Hanover- 141 PM EDT Thu Jul 4 2024 ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southeast North Carolina. .DAY ONE...This afternoon 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. An elevated risk of rip currents is likely into the weekend due to long period swells from Hurricane Beryl. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
135 PM EDT Thu Jul 04 2024
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0330 PM Rip Currents Carolina Beach 34.04N 77.90W
07/03/2024 New Hanover NC Lifeguard
Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue made 17 rip current rescues
on Wednesday.
&&
Event Number ILM2400183
OLIVAThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 rip current. Local standard time, as filed.
A 21 year old male from Raleigh, NC got caught in a strong rip current before going missing at Kure Beach around noon and is presumed dead.
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 New Hanover | 2024-07-04 | 21 | Male | In Water | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, July 2024
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: 1187620.