Coastal Waters Forecast
Issued by NWS Wilmington, NC
Issued by NWS Wilmington, NC
961 FZUS52 KILM 211006 CWFILM Coastal Waters Forecast National Weather Service Wilmington NC 606 AM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026 Surf City NC to South Santee River SC out 60 NM AMZ200-212230- 606 AM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026 .Synopsis for coastal waters from Surf City North Carolina to South Santee River South Carolina out to 60 nautical miles... A Small Craft Advisory is in effect for all waters as enhanced wind and seas develop ahead of a strong cold front. This front is expected to stall near or over the waters on Thursday or Friday. Otherwise, expect daily afternoon and evening wind and wave enhancements nearshore from the sea breeze. $$ AMZ250-212230- Coastal waters from Surf City to Cape Fear NC out 20 nm- 606 AM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026 ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM EDT THIS MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING... .TODAY...SW winds 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt, increasing to 20 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt this afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: S 5 ft at 7 seconds. A chance of showers with a slight chance of tstms late this morning. A slight chance of showers and tstms this afternoon. .TONIGHT...SW winds 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt. Seas 5 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: S 6 ft at 7 seconds. .WED...SW winds 20 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt. Seas 5 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: S 6 ft at 7 seconds. A slight chance of showers. A chance of tstms, mainly in the morning. .WED NIGHT...SW winds 20 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt. Seas 4 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: S 5 ft at 7 seconds. A chance of showers and tstms after midnight. .THU...SW winds 15 to 20 kt, diminishing to 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Gusts up to 25 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: S 5 ft at 7 seconds. Showers likely with a chance of tstms. .THU NIGHT...S winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: S 3 ft at 5 seconds and SE 2 ft at 8 seconds. Showers likely with a chance of tstms. .FRI...SW winds 10 kt, becoming S in the afternoon. Seas 3 ft. Showers likely with a chance of tstms. .FRI NIGHT...S winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 ft. A chance of tstms. A chance of showers in the evening, then showers likely after midnight. .SAT...W winds 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Showers likely with a chance of tstms. .SAT NIGHT...SW winds 5 to 10 kt, becoming W 10 to 15 kt after midnight. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Showers likely with a chance of tstms. Winds and seas higher in and near tstms. $$ AMZ252-212230- Coastal waters from Cape Fear NC to Little River Inlet SC out 20 NM- 606 AM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026 ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM EDT THIS MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING... .TODAY...SW winds 15 to 20 kt, increasing to 20 to 25 kt late. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: S 5 ft at 6 seconds. A slight chance of showers and tstms late this morning and early afternoon. .TONIGHT...SW winds 20 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: S 6 ft at 7 seconds. .WED...SW winds 20 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: S 6 ft at 7 seconds. A slight chance of showers and tstms. .WED NIGHT...S winds 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt. Seas 4 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: S 5 ft at 7 seconds. A chance of showers and tstms after midnight. .THU...SW winds 15 to 20 kt, diminishing to 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Gusts up to 25 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: S 5 ft at 7 seconds. A chance of showers and tstms. .THU NIGHT...S winds 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave Detail: S 2 ft at 5 seconds and SE 2 ft at 8 seconds. Showers likely with a chance of tstms. .FRI...S winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. A chance of tstms. Showers likely, mainly in the morning. .FRI NIGHT...S winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. A chance of showers and tstms. .SAT...SW winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. A chance of tstms. A chance of showers in the morning, then showers likely in the afternoon. .SAT NIGHT...SW winds 5 to 10 kt, becoming W 10 to 15 kt after midnight. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Showers likely with a chance of tstms. Winds and seas higher in and near tstms. $$ AMZ254-212230- Coastal waters from Little River Inlet to Murrells Inlet SC out 20 NM- 606 AM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026 ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM EDT THIS MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING... .TODAY...SW winds 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt, increasing to 20 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt late. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: S 5 ft at 6 seconds. A slight chance of showers and tstms late this morning and early afternoon. .TONIGHT...SW winds 20 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: S 6 ft at 7 seconds. A slight chance of showers and tstms after midnight. .WED...SW winds 20 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: S 6 ft at 7 seconds. A slight chance of showers and tstms. .WED NIGHT...SW winds 20 kt with gusts up to 30 kt. Seas 4 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: S 5 ft at 7 seconds. A chance of showers and tstms after midnight. .THU...SW winds 15 to 20 kt, becoming S 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: S 4 ft at 7 seconds. A chance of showers and tstms. .THU NIGHT...S winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave Detail: S 3 ft at 5 seconds and SE 2 ft at 8 seconds. Showers likely with a chance of tstms. .FRI...SW winds 10 kt, becoming S in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Showers likely with a chance of tstms. .FRI NIGHT...S winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. A chance of tstms. A chance of showers in the evening, then showers likely after midnight. .SAT...SW winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Showers likely with a chance of tstms. .SAT NIGHT...SW winds 5 to 10 kt, becoming W after midnight. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Showers likely with a chance of tstms. Winds and seas higher in and near tstms. $$ AMZ256-212230- Coastal waters from Murrells Inlet to South Santee River SC out 20 NM- 606 AM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026 ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM EDT THIS MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING... .TODAY...SW winds 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt, increasing to 20 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt late. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: S 4 ft at 6 seconds. A slight chance of showers and tstms early this afternoon. .TONIGHT...SW winds 20 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt. Seas 4 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: S 5 ft at 7 seconds. A slight chance of showers and tstms after midnight. .WED...SW winds 20 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt. Seas 4 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: S 5 ft at 7 seconds. A slight chance of showers and tstms. .WED NIGHT...S winds 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: S 4 ft at 5 seconds and SE 2 ft at 8 seconds. A chance of showers and tstms after midnight. .THU...SW winds 15 to 20 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: S 4 ft at 5 seconds and SE 2 ft at 8 seconds. A chance of showers with a slight chance of tstms in the morning, then a chance of showers and tstms in the afternoon. .THU NIGHT...S winds 10 to 15 kt. Gusts up to 20 kt in the evening. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave Detail: S 3 ft at 5 seconds and SE 2 ft at 8 seconds. Showers likely with a chance of tstms. .FRI...S winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Showers likely with a chance of tstms. .FRI NIGHT...S winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. A chance of showers and tstms. .SAT...SW winds 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. A chance of tstms. A chance of showers in the morning, then showers likely in the afternoon. .SAT NIGHT...SW winds 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Showers likely with a chance of tstms. Winds and seas higher in and near tstms. $$ AMZ280-212230- Waters from Surf City NC to Little River Inlet SC from 20 to 60 NM- 606 AM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026 .TODAY...SW winds 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt. Seas 4 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: S 5 ft at 6 seconds. A chance of showers and tstms late this morning and early afternoon. A slight chance of showers and tstms late. .TONIGHT...SW winds 20 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt. Seas 5 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: S 6 ft at 7 seconds. .WED...SW winds 20 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt. Seas 5 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: S 6 ft at 7 seconds. .WED NIGHT...S winds 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt. Seas 5 ft. Wave Detail: S 5 ft at 7 seconds. A chance of showers and tstms after midnight. .THU...SW winds 15 to 20 kt, diminishing to 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Gusts up to 25 kt. Seas 4 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: SW 5 ft at 5 seconds and SE 3 ft at 8 seconds. A chance of showers. A chance of tstms, mainly in the morning. .THU NIGHT...S winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: SW 3 ft at 5 seconds and SE 3 ft at 8 seconds. A chance of showers and tstms. .FRI...SW winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. A chance of showers and tstms. .FRI NIGHT...S winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. A chance of showers and tstms. .SAT...SW winds 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. A chance of showers and tstms. .SAT NIGHT...SW winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. A chance of tstms. Showers. Winds and seas higher in and near tstms. $$ AMZ284-212230- Waters from Little River Inlet SC to South Santee River SC from 20 to 60 NM- 606 AM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026 .TODAY...SW winds 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt. Seas 4 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: S 4 ft at 6 seconds. A slight chance of showers and tstms this morning, then a chance of showers and tstms early this afternoon. .TONIGHT...SW winds 20 to 25 kt. Seas 5 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: S 6 ft at 7 seconds. .WED...SW winds 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: S 6 ft at 7 seconds. A slight chance of showers and tstms. .WED NIGHT...S winds 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt. Seas 4 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: S 4 ft at 7 seconds. A slight chance of showers and tstms after midnight. .THU...SW winds 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt, diminishing to 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: S 4 ft at 5 seconds and SE 2 ft at 8 seconds. A chance of showers with a slight chance of tstms. .THU NIGHT...S winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 ft. Wave Detail: S 2 ft at 5 seconds and SE 2 ft at 8 seconds. A chance of showers and tstms. .FRI...S winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 ft. A chance of showers and tstms. .FRI NIGHT...S winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. A chance of showers and tstms. .SAT...SW winds 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. A chance of showers and tstms. .SAT NIGHT...SW winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Showers likely with a chance of tstms. Winds and seas higher in and near tstms. $$