Special Marine Warning Issued for Waters from Surf City NC to Little River Inlet SC

Source: NOAA · Waters off North Carolina and South Carolina

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NWS Wilmington NC has issued a Special Marine Warning for waters from Surf City NC to Little River Inlet SC from 20 to 60 NM until 12:15 AM EDT August 22 due to a severe thunderstorm capable of producing waterspouts.

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Record type
Special Marine Warning
Affected area
Waters off North Carolina and South Carolina
Issued
August 22, 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

A Special Marine Warning was issued by the National Weather Service in Wilmington NC at 11:57 PM EDT on August 21, effective immediately until 12:15 AM EDT on August 22.

Affected Areas

Waters from Surf City NC to Little River Inlet SC from 20 to 60 NM.

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 11:57 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing waterspouts was located 27 nm southeast of Wreck 33, moving east at 15 knots. Hazards include waterspouts, wind gusts to 40 knots, and small hail.

Timeline

The alert is effective from 11:57 PM EDT August 21 until 12:15 AM EDT August 22.

Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗

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Nationwide notices with similar length or severity timing 8

Two Areazine-derived peer sets for this NWS weather alert: nearest notices by body length and by same severity near the same agency date. Peers come from other categories so they are not the same-feed Related list above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this NWS weather alert.

What is this NWS weather alert about?
NWS Wilmington NC has issued a Special Marine Warning for waters from Surf City NC to Little River Inlet SC from 20 to 60 NM until 12:15 AM EDT August 22 due to a severe thunderstorm capable of producing waterspouts.
Which agency issued this alert?
This alert was issued by NOAA. The original notice is available at the source link at the bottom of this article.
How severe is this alert?
This alert is classified as "high" severity. Take precautions and monitor for updates.
What area is affected?
This alert affects Waters off North Carolina and South Carolina. Check with NOAA for the most current geographic scope.
Where can I find more Weather Alerts updates?
Browse the full Weather Alerts feed on Areazine at areazine.com/weather/ for the latest updates from NOAA and other agencies.