Special Marine Warning Issued for Pamlico Sound and Coastal North Carolina Waters
This alert is no longer in effect.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).
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A Special Marine Warning is in effect for Pamlico Sound and coastal waters near Cape Hatteras until 6:00 PM EDT as strong thunderstorms bring 40-knot wind gusts to the region.
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 Pamlico Sound and adjacent coastal waters. The alert was issued at 4:54 PM EDT on March 8, 2026, following radar detection of hazardous conditions.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the following maritime regions:
- Pamlico Sound
- South of Oregon Inlet NC to Cape Hatteras NC (out to 20 nm)
- Waters from Oregon Inlet to Cape Hatteras NC (from 20 to 40 nm)
Specific locations impacted by these storms include Engelhard, Pamlico Sound, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, Rodanthe, The Center Of The Pamlico Sound, and Hatteras Village.
What You Should Do
Mariners are advised to move to safe harbor immediately. Small craft should remain in port or seek sheltered waters until the hazardous weather passes, as sudden high waves and wind gusts can cause significant damage.
Expected Conditions
At 4:54 PM EDT, radar indicated a line of strong thunderstorms extending from 8 nautical miles southeast of Rodanthe to 8 nautical miles northeast of Pamlico Sound. The storm system is moving east at 25 knots.
Primary Hazards:
- Wind: Gusts up to 40 knots.
- Impact: Small craft could be damaged in briefly higher winds and suddenly higher waves.
Timeline
The Special Marine Warning is effective immediately and is scheduled to remain in place until 6:00 PM EDT on March 8, 2026.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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