Special Marine Warning Issued for South Carolina Coastal Waters
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NWS Wilmington NC has issued a Special Marine Warning for coastal waters off South Carolina due to a strong thunderstorm producing wind gusts of 34 knots or greater.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Special Marine Warning
- Affected area
- South Carolina Coastal Waters
- Issued
- August 3, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Wilmington NC
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: publication date is recent, but current status is not stored on this page. Check the issuing agency's live warning service before acting because warnings can be updated, narrowed, or cancelled.
Alert Details
Special Marine Warning issued by NWS Wilmington NC. Effective from August 3, 2026 at 3:46 AM EDT until August 3, 2026 at 5:15 AM EDT. Severity: Severe. Urgency: Immediate. Certainty: Likely.
Affected Areas
Coastal waters from Murrells Inlet to South Santee River SC out 20 NM. Waters from Little River Inlet SC to South Santee River SC from 20 to 60 NM. Locations impacted include Ten Mile Reef, Vermillion Reef, Murrells Inlet Sea Buoy, Georgetown Nearshore Wreck, Inshore Hole, Horseshoe Area, Georgetown Reef, 2 C R Ledge, Winyah Bay Sea Buoy, City Of Richmond, East Bank Buoy, Parking Lot Area, C J Davidson Wreck, North Inlet Reef, Greenville Reef, Horseshoe Reef, Goldfinch Reef, Wayne Upchurch Reef, Pawleys Island, and Litchfield Beach.
What You Should Do
Boaters should seek safe harbor immediately until these storms pass. If caught on the open water, prepare for deteriorating conditions. Make sure you and your crew are wearing properly fitted life jackets.
Expected Conditions
At 3:46 AM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over East Bank Buoy, moving northeast at 15 knots. Hazard: Wind gusts 34 knots or greater. Impact: Small craft could be damaged in briefly higher winds and suddenly higher waves.
Timeline
Alert effective August 3, 2026 at 3:46 AM EDT. Expires August 3, 2026 at 5:15 AM EDT.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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