Cape Fear to Little River Inlet, SC out 20 NM Marine Forecast
| Today...Sw Winds 15 To 20 Kt With Gusts Up To 25 Kt. Seas 3 To 5 Ft. Wave Detail: Se 5 Ft At 7 Seconds And E 1 Ft At 12 Seconds. Patchy Fog. A Slight Chance Of Showers Early This Morning. A Slight Chance Of Showers Early This Afternoon, Then A Chance Of Showers Late. Vsby 1 To 3 Nm, Decreasing To 1 Nm Or Less This Afternoon. |
| Tonight...Sw Winds 15 To 20 Kt, Becoming W 10 To 15 Kt After Midnight. Gusts Up To 25 Kt. Seas 3 To 5 Ft. Wave Detail: S 5 Ft At 7 Seconds And E 1 Ft At 12 Seconds. A Slight Chance Of Showers In The Evening, Then A Chance Of Showers With A Slight Chance Of Tstms After Midnight. Patchy Fog. Vsby 1 Nm Or Less. |
| Sat...W Winds 5 To 10 Kt, Becoming E In The Afternoon. Seas 2 To 3 Ft. Wave Detail: Se 3 Ft At 7 Seconds And E 1 Ft At 11 Seconds. Showers With A Slight Chance Of Tstms. Patchy Fog In The Afternoon. |
| Sat Night...Ne Winds 5 To 10 Kt. Seas 2 To 3 Ft. Wave Detail: S 3 Ft At 6 Seconds And E 1 Ft At 3 Seconds. Showers With A Chance Of Tstms In The Evening, Then Showers With A Slight Chance Of Tstms After Midnight. Patchy Fog. |
| Sun...Nw Winds 15 To 20 Kt, Increasing To 20 To 25 Kt In The Afternoon. Seas 2 To 4 Ft, Building To 4 To 6 Ft In The Afternoon. Wave Detail: Nw 2 Ft At 3 Seconds And S 2 Ft At 5 Seconds, Becoming Nw 3 Ft At 4 Seconds And S 3 Ft At 6 Seconds. Rain Likely With A Slight Chance Of Tstms In The Morning, Then A Chance Of Rain In The Afternoon. |
| Sun Night...Nw Winds 20 To 25 Kt, Increasing To 25 To 30 Kt After Midnight. Seas 4 To 6 Ft. Wave Detail: W 5 Ft At 6 Seconds And E 1 Ft At 6 Seconds. A Chance Of Rain. |
| Mon...Nw Winds 20 To 25 Kt, Diminishing To 15 To 20 Kt In The Afternoon. Seas 4 To 6 Ft. |
| Mon Night...Nw Winds 20 To 25 Kt, Diminishing To 15 To 20 Kt After Midnight. Seas 2 To 4 Ft. |
| Tue...Nw Winds 15 To 20 Kt, Diminishing To 5 To 10 Kt In The Afternoon. Seas 2 To 4 Ft. |
| Tue Night...W Winds 5 To 10 Kt. Seas 2 To 3 Ft. Winds And Seas Higher In And Near Tstms. |
| Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 518am EST Fri Feb 20 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... Weather Statement for patchy dense fog impacting coastal areas has been allowed to expire based on observations. .KEY MESSAGES... 1) Near-record to record high temps are forecast for Friday. 2) Very low risk for severe storms Sat, mainly early to mid afternoon. 3) Well below normal temps Sunday night thru Tuesday night, possibly near record lows Monday night. KEY MESSAGE 1: Near-record to record high temps are forecast for Friday. Increased WAA (Warm Air Advection - the movement of warm air) ahead of a cold front will lead to warmer conditions than yesterday, with areas inland nearing 80 and the beaches nearing 70. This will threaten record highs for KLBT with a possible tie at KFLO, with all records in the climate section below. There is some uncertainty due to the cloud cover and afternoon showers, but we'll get pretty close regardless inland. KEY MESSAGE 2: Very low risk for severe storms Sat, mainly early to mid afternoon. There is a very low risk for a few severe storms on Saturday, especially during the early to mid afternoon across eastern SC as the area briefly gets into a weak warm sector of an approaching low pressure system. The main threats are damaging winds and large hail but an isolated tornado can't completely be ruled out given the placement of the warm front across the area. Otherwise, the storm system will bring some much-needed rainfall with generally about 0.5- 0.75" but locally higher amounts over 1" are possible. KEY MESSAGE 3: Well below normal temps Sunday night thru Tuesday night, possibly near record lows Monday night. A much colder air mass will build in behind a departing storm system early next week bringing well below normal temps. Highs Mon/Tuesday will generally be near 50 with lows generally around 30. Could even be near record lows at Florence/N. Myrtle Beach Monday night (see Climate section below for details). Wind chills should be well down into the 20s each night, especially Sun/Monday nights. Wind chills into the upper teens are even possible but the chance for reaching 15 degrees or colder (i.e., Cold Weather Advisory criteria) is very low. Marine Through Tonight Increasing SW winds and seas ahead of a frontal system will lead to SCA (Small Craft Advisory) conditions through the day Friday before the front dips south, stalling there. Speeds will drop to near 10 kts tonight with seas near 3 ft. Saturday through Tuesday A cold front stalled in the area Sat will lead to a period of variable winds with speeds 10 kt or less. However, the front is pulled aways from the coast by low pressure moving offshore Sun morning. This will set up a 24 to 36 hour period of strong north to northwest flow. Speeds will likely require a small craft advisory beginning later Sunday and lasting through much of Monday and possibly into Monday night. Gradient starts to relax late Monday night as the deepening low moves northeast and the center of the high building in from the west-northwest moves closer. Offshore flow on Tuesday will be under 10 kt. Seas will be 2-4 ft outside of a 24 hour window starting late Sunday where strong offshore flow will result in seas under 2 ft near shore and over 6 ft closer to 20 nm. Climate Record highs for 2/20/2026... Wilmington NC - KILM (81 last set in 1991) Lumberton NC - KLBT (80 last set in 2018) N. Myrtle Beach SC - KCRE (77 last set in 1949) Florence SC - KFLO (83 last set in 2014) Record lows for 2/24/2026... Wilmington NC - KILM (18 last set in 1901) Lumberton NC - KLBT (18 last set in 1978) N. Myrtle Beach SC - KCRE (26 last set in 2009) Florence SC - KFLO (24 last set in 1968) NOAA Wilmington NC Office: Watches - Warnings - Advisories NC...None. SC...None. Marine Dense Fog Advisory until 5pm EST this afternoon for AMZ250- 252-254-256. Small Craft Advisory until 8pm EST this evening for AMZ250- 252-254-256. |
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