Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Hampstead, NC
![]() | Sunrise 6:11 AM Sunset 8:24 PM Moonrise 11:27 PM Moonset 12:12 PM |
Marine Forecasts
NOTE: Zones were updated 3/20/2025. If your report is out of date, please click Edit
AMZ250 Coastal Waters From Surf City To Cape Fear Nc Out 20 Nm- 143 Pm Edt Thu Jul 17 2025
This afternoon - SW winds 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave detail: S 3 ft at 6 seconds. A slight chance of showers and tstms.
Tonight - SW winds 15 to 20 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave detail: S 3 ft at 6 seconds.
Fri - SW winds 10 to 15 kt with gusts up to 20 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave detail: sw 3 ft at 5 seconds and se 2 ft at 8 seconds. A slight chance of showers and tstms.
Fri night - SW winds 10 to 15 kt. Gusts up to 20 kt in the evening. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave detail: S 2 ft at 5 seconds and se 2 ft at 8 seconds. A slight chance of showers and tstms in the evening, then a chance of showers and tstms after midnight.
Sat - SW winds 10 to 15 kt. Gusts up to 20 kt in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave detail: sw 2 ft at 5 seconds and se 2 ft at 8 seconds. A chance of showers. A slight chance of tstms in the morning, then a chance of tstms in the afternoon.
Sat night - SW winds 10 to 15 kt with 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 and tstms in the evening.
Sun - SW winds 10 to 15 kt. Gusts up to 20 kt in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave detail: sw 3 ft at 5 seconds and se 2 ft at 8 seconds.
Sun night - SW winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. A chance of showers and tstms.
Mon - NW winds 5 to 10 kt, becoming se in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 ft. A chance of showers in the morning, then showers and tstms likely in the afternoon.
Mon night - E winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 2 to 4 ft. Showers likely with a chance of tstms.
Tue - NE winds 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Showers and tstms likely, mainly in the morning.
Tue night - E winds 10 kt. Seas 4 to 5 ft. A chance of showers and tstms.
winds and seas higher in and near tstms.
winds and seas higher in and near tstms.
AMZ200 143 Pm Edt Thu Jul 17 2025
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 southwesterly winds across the carolinas through the weekend. A weak front should reach the carolinas on Monday with a wind shift and better chances of showers and Thunderstorms.
7 Day Forecast for Marine Location Near Hampstead, NC

NEW! Add second zone forecast
New Topsail Inlet Click for Map Thu -- 12:54 AM EDT 2.95 feet High Tide Thu -- 06:10 AM EDT Sunrise Thu -- 07:41 AM EDT 0.04 feet Low Tide Thu -- 01:11 PM EDT Moonset Thu -- 01:32 PM EDT 3.39 feet High Tide Thu -- 08:22 PM EDT Sunset Thu -- 08:36 PM EDT 0.28 feet Low Tide Thu -- 08:39 PM EDT Last Quarter Tide / Current data from XTide NOT FOR NAVIGATION |   |
New Topsail Inlet, North Carolina, Tide feet
12 am |
2.8 |
1 am |
3 |
2 am |
2.8 |
3 am |
2.3 |
4 am |
1.7 |
5 am |
1 |
6 am |
0.5 |
7 am |
0.1 |
8 am |
0.1 |
9 am |
0.4 |
10 am |
1.2 |
11 am |
2.1 |
12 pm |
2.9 |
1 pm |
3.3 |
2 pm |
3.4 |
3 pm |
3.1 |
4 pm |
2.5 |
5 pm |
1.9 |
6 pm |
1.2 |
7 pm |
0.7 |
8 pm |
0.3 |
9 pm |
0.3 |
10 pm |
0.7 |
11 pm |
1.4 |
Castle Hayne Click for Map Thu -- 12:30 AM EDT 0.14 feet Low Tide Thu -- 05:31 AM EDT 1.85 feet High Tide Thu -- 06:12 AM EDT Sunrise Thu -- 12:49 PM EDT -0.06 feet Low Tide Thu -- 01:12 PM EDT Moonset Thu -- 06:09 PM EDT 1.91 feet High Tide Thu -- 08:23 PM EDT Sunset Thu -- 08:39 PM EDT Last Quarter Tide / Current data from XTide NOT FOR NAVIGATION |   |
Castle Hayne, Northeast River, North Carolina, Tide feet
12 am |
0.2 |
1 am |
0.2 |
2 am |
0.5 |
3 am |
1.1 |
4 am |
1.6 |
5 am |
1.8 |
6 am |
1.8 |
7 am |
1.7 |
8 am |
1.4 |
9 am |
0.9 |
10 am |
0.5 |
11 am |
0.2 |
12 pm |
0 |
1 pm |
-0.1 |
2 pm |
0.2 |
3 pm |
0.7 |
4 pm |
1.4 |
5 pm |
1.8 |
6 pm |
1.9 |
7 pm |
1.9 |
8 pm |
1.6 |
9 pm |
1.3 |
10 pm |
0.9 |
11 pm |
0.6 |
Area Discussion for Wilmington, NC
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FXUS62 KILM 171812 AFDILM
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 212 PM EDT Thu Jul 17 2025
SYNOPSIS
Bermuda High Pressure will remain off the coast through this weekend. Temperatures will increase with a dangerous combination of heat and humidity developing for Friday through the weekend. Widely scattered thunderstorms are possible through Sunday with more widespread coverage by early next week as a front drops south into the Carolinas.
NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/
500 mb high pressure centered just east of the Bahamas will retrograde its way to near the Florida East Coast by Friday afternoon. Rising mid and upper level heights across the Carolinas are indicative of a warming airmass and guidance is pointing at Friday's temperatures rising another 2-3 degrees versus today with mid 90s expected for most inland locations.
Given dewpoints expected to mix down only into the 74-77 range during the afternoon, forecast heat indices of 105 to 108 will require the issuance of a Heat Advisory running from 10 AM until 8 PM.
GFS and NAM forecast soundings show mid level humidity should drop further on Friday with the arrival of stronger ridging aloft. Models were too dry yesterday and again today even as dry air has started working in aloft, so I'm hesitant to drop PoPs below 20 percent as suggested by 12z HRRR. NBM hourly PoPs of 20 percent along the SC coast and 30-40 percent elsewhere may work out better given the recent history of shallow convection in this tropical airmass.
And lastly, another warm and very humid night is expected across the area with lows ranging from 75 inland to around 80 on the beaches.
Wilmington's forecast low in the upper 70s should be the 43rd consecutive night of low temps 70 degrees or warmer this summer.
SHORT TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/
The mid-upper anticyclone will be in the process of drifting westward through this period, keeping dangerous heat and humidity in the forecast (highs in the mid-upper 90s on Saturday) which will likely necessitate a Heat Advisory for heat indices in the 105-109F range (with some isolated 110F possible in the hottest spots).
Subsidence and dry air aloft will keep rain coverage in the isolated to widely scattered range during this period while a stalled front and shortwave energy passing through the Mid-Atlantic will likely result in considerably more precip coverage north of the forecast area. With surface high pressure drifting westward across Florida, expect southwesterly winds to continue, helping to keep the sea breeze nearer to the coast. Overnight lows in the mid-upper 70s are expected, which are 3-6F above normal.
LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/
As the mid-upper anticyclone drifts further westward into the Gulf, troughing will dig into the Atlantic. As this occurs, the mid-level flow will become increasingly northwesterly over the area, opening the door to convective complexes sliding into the region as shortwave energy slides down the east side of the ridge. Guidance appears to be honing in on Sunday evening/night and Monday afternoon/evening as periods to monitor for convection arriving from the northwest. Over Monday night into Tuesday, a recent trend in the guidance is for a stronger backdoor front sneaking further south/southwest than originally anticipated, leading to a stronger push of lower-dewpoint air that may be able to knock them below 70F for the first time in weeks on Tuesday and Wednesday. If this comes to fruition, which is somewhat hard to believe given the time of year, deep dry air and subsidence would also arrive, putting an effective lid on almost all convection on Wednesday. As mentioned above, although this is a trend amongst the global guidance, it is hard to believe that a ridge over the Gulf won't end up stronger than modeled and thereby limit the backdoor front's southward progress. Nevertheless, this will need to be monitored closely.
Conditions will remain hot and humid on Sunday and Monday as the ridge slowly drifts west with highs in the mid-upper 90s on Sunday and mid-90s on Monday. Greater cloud cover and precip should limit daytime highs on Tuesday, although the timing of this potential backdoor front passage will impact temps and dew points, leading to low confidence on Tuesday through Thursday at this juncture.
AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/
Clusters of showers and thunderstorms have developed along today's seabreeze front extending from Myrtle Beach into Wilmington. With a westerly component to the background synoptic winds the seabreeze front will not make much inland progress today, keeping the convective risk large for KMYR, KCRE, and KILM through 20-21z today. For the inland airports convective activity is more isolated and less intense, but brief reduction in visibility in showers is still possible through 23z before cooling evening temperatures causes storms to dissipate.
VFR conditions are expected overnight into Friday morning. Cumulus with cloud bases in the 1500-2500 ft AGL range are expected to develop after sunrise, perhaps forming brief MVFR ceilings between 13-16z. But the trend should be toward rising ceilings and fewer convective showers around tomorrow versus the more widespread activity we see today.
Extended Outlook... Isolated showers and thunderstorms may bring brief MVFR ceiling and visibility impacts Saturday through Sunday, mainly the afternoon and early evening hours. Coverage may increase Monday and Tuesday as a front reaches the Carolinas from the north.
MARINE
Through Friday...The flow between Bermuda High Pressure well offshore and a cold front sinking as far south as southern Virginia should help veer winds across the Carolinas a little more westerly late tonight into Friday morning. There's a roughly 6 hour period centered on 9 AM Friday where west-southwesterly winds are expected.
Just like today there's the expectation a good seabreeze will develop Friday afternoon turning nearshore winds more southerly with an increase in speed to 15-20 knots. Scattered showers and thunderstorms moving quickly northeastward are also expected, primarily during the morning and early afternoon hours.
Seas should continue to average 3 to locally 4 feet in height with a 6 second dominant wave period. A new 8 second southeast swell will also develop but with a much smaller amplitude than the wind waves.
Friday Night through Tuesday...
Bermuda high pressure will maintain steady southwesterly flow through the weekend until a backdoor front approaches from the north early next week. Depending on if this front drops through, a northeasterly wind surge may occur in its wake.
Otherwise, winds will weaken as the front draws near on Monday into Tuesday as the pressure gradient becomes weakly-defined.
Waves mainly in the 2-4 ft range are expected to subside slightly to 2-3 ft as winds relax over Sunday and Monday.
Depending on the outcome of the northeasterly wind surge, waves would increase again as winds pick up and have a longer fetch over the Atlantic on Tuesday. The wave spectrum will be dominated by southerly wind waves of 2-3 ft with a period of 5 sec and supplemented by 1-2 ft southeasterly swells with a period around 8 sec.
ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NC...Heat Advisory from 11 AM to 8 PM EDT Friday for NCZ087-096-099- 105>110.
Beach Hazards Statement until 8 PM EDT this evening for NCZ106- 108.
SC...Heat Advisory from 11 AM to 8 PM EDT Friday for SCZ017-023-024- 032-033-039-054>056-058-059.
Beach Hazards Statement until 8 PM EDT this evening for SCZ056.
MARINE...None.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 212 PM EDT Thu Jul 17 2025
SYNOPSIS
Bermuda High Pressure will remain off the coast through this weekend. Temperatures will increase with a dangerous combination of heat and humidity developing for Friday through the weekend. Widely scattered thunderstorms are possible through Sunday with more widespread coverage by early next week as a front drops south into the Carolinas.
NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/
500 mb high pressure centered just east of the Bahamas will retrograde its way to near the Florida East Coast by Friday afternoon. Rising mid and upper level heights across the Carolinas are indicative of a warming airmass and guidance is pointing at Friday's temperatures rising another 2-3 degrees versus today with mid 90s expected for most inland locations.
Given dewpoints expected to mix down only into the 74-77 range during the afternoon, forecast heat indices of 105 to 108 will require the issuance of a Heat Advisory running from 10 AM until 8 PM.
GFS and NAM forecast soundings show mid level humidity should drop further on Friday with the arrival of stronger ridging aloft. Models were too dry yesterday and again today even as dry air has started working in aloft, so I'm hesitant to drop PoPs below 20 percent as suggested by 12z HRRR. NBM hourly PoPs of 20 percent along the SC coast and 30-40 percent elsewhere may work out better given the recent history of shallow convection in this tropical airmass.
And lastly, another warm and very humid night is expected across the area with lows ranging from 75 inland to around 80 on the beaches.
Wilmington's forecast low in the upper 70s should be the 43rd consecutive night of low temps 70 degrees or warmer this summer.
SHORT TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/
The mid-upper anticyclone will be in the process of drifting westward through this period, keeping dangerous heat and humidity in the forecast (highs in the mid-upper 90s on Saturday) which will likely necessitate a Heat Advisory for heat indices in the 105-109F range (with some isolated 110F possible in the hottest spots).
Subsidence and dry air aloft will keep rain coverage in the isolated to widely scattered range during this period while a stalled front and shortwave energy passing through the Mid-Atlantic will likely result in considerably more precip coverage north of the forecast area. With surface high pressure drifting westward across Florida, expect southwesterly winds to continue, helping to keep the sea breeze nearer to the coast. Overnight lows in the mid-upper 70s are expected, which are 3-6F above normal.
LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/
As the mid-upper anticyclone drifts further westward into the Gulf, troughing will dig into the Atlantic. As this occurs, the mid-level flow will become increasingly northwesterly over the area, opening the door to convective complexes sliding into the region as shortwave energy slides down the east side of the ridge. Guidance appears to be honing in on Sunday evening/night and Monday afternoon/evening as periods to monitor for convection arriving from the northwest. Over Monday night into Tuesday, a recent trend in the guidance is for a stronger backdoor front sneaking further south/southwest than originally anticipated, leading to a stronger push of lower-dewpoint air that may be able to knock them below 70F for the first time in weeks on Tuesday and Wednesday. If this comes to fruition, which is somewhat hard to believe given the time of year, deep dry air and subsidence would also arrive, putting an effective lid on almost all convection on Wednesday. As mentioned above, although this is a trend amongst the global guidance, it is hard to believe that a ridge over the Gulf won't end up stronger than modeled and thereby limit the backdoor front's southward progress. Nevertheless, this will need to be monitored closely.
Conditions will remain hot and humid on Sunday and Monday as the ridge slowly drifts west with highs in the mid-upper 90s on Sunday and mid-90s on Monday. Greater cloud cover and precip should limit daytime highs on Tuesday, although the timing of this potential backdoor front passage will impact temps and dew points, leading to low confidence on Tuesday through Thursday at this juncture.
AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/
Clusters of showers and thunderstorms have developed along today's seabreeze front extending from Myrtle Beach into Wilmington. With a westerly component to the background synoptic winds the seabreeze front will not make much inland progress today, keeping the convective risk large for KMYR, KCRE, and KILM through 20-21z today. For the inland airports convective activity is more isolated and less intense, but brief reduction in visibility in showers is still possible through 23z before cooling evening temperatures causes storms to dissipate.
VFR conditions are expected overnight into Friday morning. Cumulus with cloud bases in the 1500-2500 ft AGL range are expected to develop after sunrise, perhaps forming brief MVFR ceilings between 13-16z. But the trend should be toward rising ceilings and fewer convective showers around tomorrow versus the more widespread activity we see today.
Extended Outlook... Isolated showers and thunderstorms may bring brief MVFR ceiling and visibility impacts Saturday through Sunday, mainly the afternoon and early evening hours. Coverage may increase Monday and Tuesday as a front reaches the Carolinas from the north.
MARINE
Through Friday...The flow between Bermuda High Pressure well offshore and a cold front sinking as far south as southern Virginia should help veer winds across the Carolinas a little more westerly late tonight into Friday morning. There's a roughly 6 hour period centered on 9 AM Friday where west-southwesterly winds are expected.
Just like today there's the expectation a good seabreeze will develop Friday afternoon turning nearshore winds more southerly with an increase in speed to 15-20 knots. Scattered showers and thunderstorms moving quickly northeastward are also expected, primarily during the morning and early afternoon hours.
Seas should continue to average 3 to locally 4 feet in height with a 6 second dominant wave period. A new 8 second southeast swell will also develop but with a much smaller amplitude than the wind waves.
Friday Night through Tuesday...
Bermuda high pressure will maintain steady southwesterly flow through the weekend until a backdoor front approaches from the north early next week. Depending on if this front drops through, a northeasterly wind surge may occur in its wake.
Otherwise, winds will weaken as the front draws near on Monday into Tuesday as the pressure gradient becomes weakly-defined.
Waves mainly in the 2-4 ft range are expected to subside slightly to 2-3 ft as winds relax over Sunday and Monday.
Depending on the outcome of the northeasterly wind surge, waves would increase again as winds pick up and have a longer fetch over the Atlantic on Tuesday. The wave spectrum will be dominated by southerly wind waves of 2-3 ft with a period of 5 sec and supplemented by 1-2 ft southeasterly swells with a period around 8 sec.
ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NC...Heat Advisory from 11 AM to 8 PM EDT Friday for NCZ087-096-099- 105>110.
Beach Hazards Statement until 8 PM EDT this evening for NCZ106- 108.
SC...Heat Advisory from 11 AM to 8 PM EDT Friday for SCZ017-023-024- 032-033-039-054>056-058-059.
Beach Hazards Statement until 8 PM EDT this evening for SCZ056.
MARINE...None.
Stations | Dist | Age | Wind | Air | Water | Waves | inHg | DewPt |
JMPN7 - 8658163 - Johnny Mercer Pier, Wrightsville Beach, NC | 12 mi | 56 min | SSW 14G | 88°F | 79°F | 30.10 | ||
MBNN7 | 15 mi | 56 min | SW 8.9G | 93°F | 30.09 | 78°F | ||
41038 - ILM2 - 5 miles SE of Wrightsville Beach, NC | 16 mi | 78 min | SSW 14G | 82°F | 81°F | 30.11 | 78°F | |
41110 - Masonboro Inlet, NC | 16 mi | 30 min | 81°F | 3 ft | ||||
WLON7 | 16 mi | 56 min | 89°F | 83°F | 30.09 | |||
MBIN7 | 21 mi | 56 min | WSW 11G | 91°F | 30.11 | 80°F | ||
41037 - ILM3 - 27 miles SE of Wrightsville Beach, NC | 32 mi | 78 min | SW 16G | 84°F | 83°F | 30.14 | 81°F | |
41064 | 42 mi | 78 min | WSW 16G | 83°F | 83°F | 30.16 | 77°F | |
41159 | 42 mi | 30 min | 83°F | 4 ft | ||||
41108 | 48 mi | 30 min | 83°F | 4 ft |
Wind History for Wrightsville Beach, NC
toggle option: (graph/table)
Airport Reports
Link to 1 hour of 5 minute data for KILM
Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) for KILM
Wind History Graph: ILM
(wind in knots)GEOS Local Image of southeast
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Morehead City, NC,

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