Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Sunset Beach, NC
![]() | Sunrise 6:40 AM Sunset 7:48 PM Moonrise 6:04 AM Moonset 8:38 PM |
Marine Forecasts
NOTE: Zones updated 4/16/2026. Some zones changed. Use Edit if needed.
AMZ254 Coastal Waters From Little River Inlet To Murrells Inlet Sc Out 20 Nm- 243 Pm Edt Sat Apr 18 2026
This afternoon - S winds 10 to 15 kt. Gusts up to 20 kt late. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave detail: S 2 ft at 4 seconds and se 2 ft at 8 seconds.
Tonight - SW winds 10 to 15 kt with gusts up to 20 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave detail: S 3 ft at 4 seconds and se 2 ft at 8 seconds.
Sun - SW winds 15 kt, becoming nw in the afternoon. Gusts up to 20 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave detail: S 3 ft at 5 seconds and se 2 ft at 8 seconds. A chance of showers in the afternoon.
Sun night - N winds 15 to 20 kt, diminishing to 10 to 15 kt after midnight. Seas 2 to 4 ft. Wave detail: N 3 ft at 5 seconds.
Mon - N winds 10 to 15 kt, becoming W 5 to 10 kt in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave detail: ne 3 ft at 5 seconds and W 1 ft at 5 seconds.
Mon night - SW winds 10 to 15 kt, becoming N with gusts up to 20 kt after midnight. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave detail: ne 3 ft at 8 seconds and W 2 ft at 3 seconds.
Tue - NE winds 10 to 15 kt, becoming E 5 to 10 kt in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 ft.
Tue night - SE winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 2 ft.
Wed - SW winds 5 to 10 kt, increasing to 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 ft.
Wed night - SW winds 15 to 20 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft.
AMZ200 243 Pm Edt Sat Apr 18 2026
Synopsis for coastal waters from surf city north carolina to south santee river south carolina out to 20 nautical miles - Bermuda high pressure will maintain light to moderate south to southwest winds through tonight. A quick moving cold front will push off the coast Sunday afternoon followed by strong north to northeast winds Sunday afternoon into Monday. A secondary cold front Mon night will be followed by high pressure building in thru Tue. The high will slide overhead then offshore from the southeast u.s. Coast by mid-week.
7 Day Forecast for Marine Location Near Sunset Beach, NC

NEW! Add second zone forecast
| Sunset Beach Bridge Click for Map Sat -- 03:48 AM EDT -0.43 feet Low Tide Sat -- 06:39 AM EDT Sunrise Sat -- 07:04 AM EDT Moonrise Sat -- 09:17 AM EDT 4.96 feet High Tide Sat -- 03:48 PM EDT -0.56 feet Low Tide Sat -- 07:47 PM EDT Sunset Sat -- 09:36 PM EDT 6.14 feet High Tide Sat -- 09:37 PM EDT Moonset Tide / Current data from XTide NOT FOR NAVIGATION |   |
Sunset Beach Bridge, North Carolina, Tide feet
| 12 am |
| 3.2 |
| 1 am |
| 1.8 |
| 2 am |
| 0.6 |
| 3 am |
| -0.2 |
| 4 am |
| -0.4 |
| 5 am |
| 0.2 |
| 6 am |
| 1.4 |
| 7 am |
| 3 |
| 8 am |
| 4.3 |
| 9 am |
| 4.9 |
| 10 am |
| 4.8 |
| 11 am |
| 4.1 |
| 12 pm |
| 2.9 |
| 1 pm |
| 1.7 |
| 2 pm |
| 0.5 |
| 3 pm |
| -0.3 |
| 4 pm |
| -0.5 |
| 5 pm |
| 0.1 |
| 6 pm |
| 1.5 |
| 7 pm |
| 3.3 |
| 8 pm |
| 5 |
| 9 pm |
| 6 |
| 10 pm |
| 6.1 |
| 11 pm |
| 5.5 |
| Hog Inlet Pier Click for Map Sat -- 02:51 AM EDT -0.29 feet Low Tide Sat -- 06:39 AM EDT Sunrise Sat -- 07:04 AM EDT Moonrise Sat -- 08:49 AM EDT 5.06 feet High Tide Sat -- 02:57 PM EDT -0.51 feet Low Tide Sat -- 07:47 PM EDT Sunset Sat -- 09:14 PM EDT 6.33 feet High Tide Sat -- 09:38 PM EDT Moonset Tide / Current data from XTide NOT FOR NAVIGATION |   |
Hog Inlet Pier, South Carolina, Tide feet
| 12 am |
| 2.5 |
| 1 am |
| 1.1 |
| 2 am |
| 0 |
| 3 am |
| -0.3 |
| 4 am |
| 0.3 |
| 5 am |
| 1.5 |
| 6 am |
| 2.9 |
| 7 am |
| 4.1 |
| 8 am |
| 4.9 |
| 9 am |
| 5.1 |
| 10 am |
| 4.6 |
| 11 am |
| 3.6 |
| 12 pm |
| 2.3 |
| 1 pm |
| 0.9 |
| 2 pm |
| -0.1 |
| 3 pm |
| -0.5 |
| 4 pm |
| 0 |
| 5 pm |
| 1.3 |
| 6 pm |
| 3.1 |
| 7 pm |
| 4.7 |
| 8 pm |
| 5.8 |
| 9 pm |
| 6.3 |
| 10 pm |
| 6.1 |
| 11 pm |
| 5.2 |
Area Discussion for Wilmington, NC
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FXUS62 KILM 181834 AFDILM
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 234 PM EDT Sat Apr 18 2026
WHAT HAS CHANGED
No major changes coming down the track with the afternoon forecast cycle. Aviation discussion has been updated for the 18Z TAFs.
KEY MESSAGES
- 1) Widely scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible Sunday.
- 2) Cooler Temperatures Monday and Tuesday Become Warm Again by Wednesday With No Rain in Sight.
DISCUSSION
KEY MESSAGE 1
Widely scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible Sunday.
Widely scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible Sunday, mainly in the afternoon as a cold front moves through the area.
KEY MESSAGE 2
Cooler Temperatures Monday and Tuesday Become Warm Again by Wednesday With No Rain in Sight.
Cold front will be offshore by Sunday night, allowing the area to dry out fast. Sunday night and Monday night look rather chilly, with lows in the low-to-mid 40s (no worries for frost though). Highs in the low-to-mid 70s Monday, just a touch below normal for mid-late April.
Stronger cold air advection comes in by Tuesday, and highs may struggle to 70 in some spots in southeast NC. From there, ridging starts to build aloft, and Canadian high pressure slips into the Southeast and offshore throughout the week, triggering air mass modification. Wednesday through next Saturday, temperatures warm up a bit everyday, easily getting back into the 80s for most. 90s may come into play again by next Friday.
Not a hint of rain in sight for most of next week. A front may move in again late next weekend, but probably won't do much to touch the ongoing drought.
AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/
VFR thru the 24 hr fcst period but isolated showers are possible toward the end of the period inland. Main story will be winds which will be S to SW invof 10KT this aftn with higher gusts near the coast. Winds will shift through west to north and inland terminals by the end of the period and west to northwest at coastal terminals.
Extended Forecast...Brief MVFR possible in showers Sunday, mainly after 18z. Northerly winds behind the front could gust to 25 knots Sunday afternoon into Sunday night. Otherwise VFR conditions should prevail through Wednesday.
MARINE
Through Sunday...Within 20 NM, S to SW winds 10 to 15 KT with higher gusts this afternoon will shift to the north Sunday afternoon and increase to 15 to 20 KT Sunday afternoon with higher gusts. Seas should run 2 to 4 FT through the period.
From 20 to 60 NM out, expect S to SW winds of 10 to 15 KT this afternoon will increase to 15 to 20 KT tonight and a solid 20 KT Sunday before becoming west in the afternoon. Seas of 2 to 3 FT this afternoon will build to 4 to 5 FT with 6 footers possible later in the day.
Sunday Night through Thursday...Moderate to fresh breeze out of the NNE expected Sunday night. Gusts may occasionally reach up to 25 kts at times in the evening, but it does not appear consistent enough to warrant a Small Craft Advisory at this time. Gradient winds loosen down to a gentle breeze Monday afternoon. Seas are at 2-4 ft along the coastal waters, going up towards 5-6 ft along the offshore waters. Monday night into Tuesday morning, a much weaker, subtle front pushes into the waters, allowing a moderate breeze to poke up out of the NNE again through late Tuesday morning. Seas come down slightly towards 2-4 ft everywhere. Winds then veer to a SSW component late Tuesday through Thursday, mostly operating between a moderate to fresh breeze. Seas lock in at 1-3 ft along the coastal waters, 3-4 ft along the offshore waters.
ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NC...Coastal Flood Advisory from 9 PM this evening to 1 AM EDT Sunday for NCZ107.
SC...None.
MARINE...None.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 234 PM EDT Sat Apr 18 2026
WHAT HAS CHANGED
No major changes coming down the track with the afternoon forecast cycle. Aviation discussion has been updated for the 18Z TAFs.
KEY MESSAGES
- 1) Widely scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible Sunday.
- 2) Cooler Temperatures Monday and Tuesday Become Warm Again by Wednesday With No Rain in Sight.
DISCUSSION
KEY MESSAGE 1
Widely scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible Sunday.
Widely scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible Sunday, mainly in the afternoon as a cold front moves through the area.
KEY MESSAGE 2
Cooler Temperatures Monday and Tuesday Become Warm Again by Wednesday With No Rain in Sight.
Cold front will be offshore by Sunday night, allowing the area to dry out fast. Sunday night and Monday night look rather chilly, with lows in the low-to-mid 40s (no worries for frost though). Highs in the low-to-mid 70s Monday, just a touch below normal for mid-late April.
Stronger cold air advection comes in by Tuesday, and highs may struggle to 70 in some spots in southeast NC. From there, ridging starts to build aloft, and Canadian high pressure slips into the Southeast and offshore throughout the week, triggering air mass modification. Wednesday through next Saturday, temperatures warm up a bit everyday, easily getting back into the 80s for most. 90s may come into play again by next Friday.
Not a hint of rain in sight for most of next week. A front may move in again late next weekend, but probably won't do much to touch the ongoing drought.
AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/
VFR thru the 24 hr fcst period but isolated showers are possible toward the end of the period inland. Main story will be winds which will be S to SW invof 10KT this aftn with higher gusts near the coast. Winds will shift through west to north and inland terminals by the end of the period and west to northwest at coastal terminals.
Extended Forecast...Brief MVFR possible in showers Sunday, mainly after 18z. Northerly winds behind the front could gust to 25 knots Sunday afternoon into Sunday night. Otherwise VFR conditions should prevail through Wednesday.
MARINE
Through Sunday...Within 20 NM, S to SW winds 10 to 15 KT with higher gusts this afternoon will shift to the north Sunday afternoon and increase to 15 to 20 KT Sunday afternoon with higher gusts. Seas should run 2 to 4 FT through the period.
From 20 to 60 NM out, expect S to SW winds of 10 to 15 KT this afternoon will increase to 15 to 20 KT tonight and a solid 20 KT Sunday before becoming west in the afternoon. Seas of 2 to 3 FT this afternoon will build to 4 to 5 FT with 6 footers possible later in the day.
Sunday Night through Thursday...Moderate to fresh breeze out of the NNE expected Sunday night. Gusts may occasionally reach up to 25 kts at times in the evening, but it does not appear consistent enough to warrant a Small Craft Advisory at this time. Gradient winds loosen down to a gentle breeze Monday afternoon. Seas are at 2-4 ft along the coastal waters, going up towards 5-6 ft along the offshore waters. Monday night into Tuesday morning, a much weaker, subtle front pushes into the waters, allowing a moderate breeze to poke up out of the NNE again through late Tuesday morning. Seas come down slightly towards 2-4 ft everywhere. Winds then veer to a SSW component late Tuesday through Thursday, mostly operating between a moderate to fresh breeze. Seas lock in at 1-3 ft along the coastal waters, 3-4 ft along the offshore waters.
ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NC...Coastal Flood Advisory from 9 PM this evening to 1 AM EDT Sunday for NCZ107.
SC...None.
MARINE...None.
| Stations | Dist | Age | Wind | Air | Water | Waves | inHg | DewPt |
| 41024 - Sunset Nearshore (SUN 2) | 3 mi | 68 min | S 3.9G | 70°F | 70°F | 29.93 | 68°F | |
| SSBN7 | 3 mi | 64 min | 70°F | 2 ft | ||||
| MROS1 - 8661070 - Springmaid Pier, SC | 27 mi | 46 min | SSW 14G | 70°F | 69°F | 29.98 | ||
| 41108 | 28 mi | 50 min | 69°F | 2 ft | ||||
| MBIN7 | 37 mi | 76 min | SW 9.9G | 79°F | 29.93 | 68°F | ||
| WLON7 | 38 mi | 46 min | 80°F | 73°F | 29.93 | |||
| MBNN7 | 42 mi | 76 min | SSW 5.1G | 76°F | 29.91 | 70°F | ||
| JMPN7 - 8658163 - Johnny Mercer Pier, Wrightsville Beach, NC | 45 mi | 46 min | SSW 17G | 72°F | 67°F | 29.93 | ||
| 41038 - ILM2 - 5 miles SE of Wrightsville Beach, NC | 46 mi | 68 min | SSW 14G | 72°F | 69°F | 29.93 | 68°F | |
| 41110 - Masonboro Inlet, NC | 46 mi | 46 min | 73°F | 69°F | 2 ft |
Wind History for Springmaid Pier, SC
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Airport Reports
Link to 1 hour of 5 minute data for KCRE
Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) for KCRE
Wind History Graph: CRE
(wind in knots)GEOS Local Image of Mid-Atlantic
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Wilmington, NC,
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