Special Marine Warning Issued for Pamlico Sound and Alligator River Through 4:00 PM EDT
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
Areazine synthesizes this NWS weather alert directly from NOAA's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
Severe thunderstorms capable of producing waterspouts and wind gusts over 50 knots are moving through the Pamlico Sound and Alligator River regions.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Special Marine Warning
- Affected area
- Coastal North Carolina
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Newport/Morehead City
Marine notices apply to named waters or shoreline zones. They may not describe conditions on land, even when the nearest place name is the same.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Coastal North Carolina.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Newport/Morehead City NC has issued a Special Marine Warning for the Alligator River and Pamlico Sound. This alert is effective immediately following the detection of severe thunderstorms in the area.
Affected Areas
The warning covers a broad area of coastal North Carolina waters, including:
- Waterways: Alligator River, Pamlico Sound, The Mouth of the Neuse River, Hatteras Inlet, Ocracoke Inlet, and the Mouth of the Pamlico River.
- Landmarks and Communities: Cape Hatteras, Engelhard, Hobucken, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, Cedar Island, Slades Creek, Hatteras Village, Swanquarter, South River, Ocracoke, Rodanthe, and Ar220.
Expected Conditions
At 3:01 PM EDT, marine weather spotters identified severe thunderstorms along a line extending from the vicinity of Slades Creek to near Hobucken and Adams Creek. These storms are moving east at 50 knots.
Primary Hazards Include:
- Waterspouts: These can easily overturn boats and create locally hazardous seas.
- High Winds: Wind gusts in excess of 50 knots are expected. These storms have a documented history of producing wind gusts as high as 60 knots.
- Impact: Small craft could capsize in suddenly higher waves, and larger vessels could suffer significant structural damage.
Timeline
The Special Marine Warning is in effect until 4:00 PM EDT on March 12, 2026. Residents and mariners should monitor local conditions until the storms have passed the area.
What You Should Do
Mariners are advised to avoid these areas and seek safe harbor immediately. Boaters should prepare for suddenly higher waves and intense wind gusts. Ensure all passengers are wearing life jackets and stay clear of the water until the warning has expired.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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