NWS Surf Zone Forecast Resumes for North Carolina Coastline

The National Weather Service Newport / Morehead City office announced on April 13 that the Surf Zone Forecast for the beaches from Duck to Surf City has resumed for the 2018 summer season.

The relatively new forecast gauges the threat of rip currents for area beaches, and is a great tool for folks who want to ensure that the ocean waters are safe for swimming.

The interactive and color-coded forecast can be found on the National Weather Service website at https://www.weather.gov/beach/mhx, and the forecast indicates three distinct levels of rip current risk.

Low – Marked as white or gray, a “Low” status means that while the risk of rip currents is not great, swimmers should still remain vigilant, especially when swimming near inlets, groins, jetties, and piers, which is where rip currents can occur despite calm weather. Always supervise folks who cannot swim, and heed the advice of local beach patrols and / or flag systems.

Moderate – A yellow “Moderate” risk means that beach-goers should swim near a lifeguard or along a beach that is patrolled, and should watch for rip currents along the shoreline.

High – Marked as bright red, a “High” risk means that the surf is dangerous for all levels of swimmers, and folks should avoid swimming along the ocean beaches.

When perusing the forecast, visitors can also click on a beach area of their choice along the North Carolina coastline to obtain more information, or can click on one of the “beach umbrella” icons to obtain a detailed forecast for a specific area, such as wind speeds, temperatures, and precipitation.

For more information on rip current and the surf forecast, as well as daily weather forecasts, visit https://www.facebook.com/NWSMoreheadCity/.