Rip Current in North Carolina

Events

160

Deaths

100

Injuries

21

Damage

None recorded

• Rip Current in North Carolina, July 3, 20133 deaths · 3 injured · 1 eventSoutheast winds and a southerly swell produced strong rip currents over much of coastal Brunswick County.
• Rip Currents in North Carolina, October 7 to 8, 20173 deaths · 2 eventsStrong onshore wind and swell produced strong rip currents.
• Rip Current in North Carolina, September 13, 20003 deaths · 1 eventLarge swell waves from distant Hurricane Florence generated rip currents along Pleasure Island Beaches. Deaths by drowning occurred at 1:30 and 2:30 PM EDT at Kure Beach, and at 3 PM EDTat Carolina Beach.
• Rip Currents in North Carolina, June 17 to 18, 20172 deaths · 2 eventsTwo people died due to rip currents in Atlantic Beach, NC.
• Rip Currents in North Carolina, June 10, 20172 deaths · 2 eventsTwo teenage boys died from rip currents in Emerald Isle, NC.
• Rip Current in North Carolina, September 9, 20162 deaths · 1 eventTwo people drowned due to a rip current in Rodanthe.
• Rip Current in North Carolina, May 14, 20192 deaths · 1 eventTwo people died in a rip current.
• Rip Current in North Carolina, July 12, 20202 deaths · 1 eventTwo men drowned due to a rip current in Emerald Isle.
• Rip Current in North Carolina, August 18, 20212 deaths · 1 eventModerate rip currents at Oak Island, NC led to two drownings in the afternoon.
• Rip Current in North Carolina, July 4, 20131 death · 3 injured · 1 eventA persistent southeast wind and swell produced strong rip currents at Holden Beach.
• Rip Current in North Carolina, June 6, 20091 death · 2 injured · 1 eventThree people got caught in a rip current at Kure Beach.
• Rip Current in North Carolina, June 27, 20091 death · 1 injured · 1 eventA man was caught in a strong rip current at Carolina Beach.
• Rip Current in North Carolina, August 8, 20091 death · 1 injured · 1 eventA boy drowned after getting caught in a rip current at Fort Fisher.
• Rip Currents in North Carolina, August 31, 20081 death · 2 eventsSoutheast swells from Tropical Storm Hannah, combined with east northeast winds produced dangerous rip currents at New Hanover County beaches.
• Rip Currents in North Carolina, May 28, 20221 death · 2 eventsNumerous rip currents resulted in one drowning and multiple rescues by area lifeguards as a result of a three to four foot southeast swells.
• Rip Currents in North Carolina, June 17, 20231 death · 2 eventsWeekend crowd, midday low tide, and a refracting south swell combined to bring moderate to strong rip currents to east-facing Cape Fear beaches.
• Rip Currents in North Carolina, August 17, 20241 death · 2 eventsStrong swells from distant Hurricane Ernesto led to strong rip currents, multiple rescues, and one drowning in southeast North Carolina.
• Rip Current in North Carolina, August 20, 20001 death · 1 eventRip currents at Kure Beach drowned a person who was attempting to rescue another person.
• Rip Current in North Carolina, May 31, 20021 death · 1 event
• Rip Current in North Carolina, June 22, 20021 death · 1 event
• Rip Current in North Carolina, July 23, 20021 death · 1 eventA 38 year old Virginia man drown while caught in a rip current in Emerald Isle.
• Rip Current in North Carolina, September 4, 20031 death · 1 eventDare County Emergency Management reported a rip current drowning of a Maryland man near Cape Hatteras. Swells generated from Hurricane Fabian, which was 875 miles southeast of the Outer Banks, caused heavy surf and rip currents across the entire Eastern North Carolina coastline.
• Rip Current in North Carolina, July 28, 20041 death · 1 eventRip currents were prevalent along the east facing beaches of Eastern North Carolina on this day.
• Rip Current in North Carolina, July 18, 20041 death · 1 eventRip Currents were prevalent along the south facing beaches in Eastern North Carolina with many rescues on this day. One young woman drowned during the afternoon hours.
• Rip Current in North Carolina, September 22, 20041 death · 1 eventDrowned after trying to save others from a rip current near the Whalehead Beach community.

Rip Current everywhereEvery kind of event in North Carolina

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.