Marine Weather Net

Ocracoke Inlet to Cape Lookout, NC out 20 NM Marine Forecast


TODAY

SW
WINDS
15 - 20
KNOTS

TONIGHT

SW
WINDS
20
KNOTS

FRI

SW
WINDS
15 - 20
KNOTS

FRI NIGHT

SW
WINDS
10 - 15
KNOTS

The Marine Weather Forecast In Detail:
AMZ156 Forecast Issued: 626 AM EDT Thu Jul 17 2025

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON EDT TODAY THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
Today...Sw Winds 15 To 20 Kt, Increasing To 15 To 25 Kt This Afternoon. Seas 2 To 4 Ft. Wave Detail: S 4 Ft At 6 Seconds. Adjacent Sounds And Rivers Choppy. A Slight Chance Of Showers And Tstms This Morning.
Tonight...Sw Winds Around 20 Kt With Gusts Up To 25 Kt. Seas 4 To 5 Ft. Wave Detail: S 5 Ft At 6 Seconds. Adjacent Sounds And Rivers Choppy. A Slight Chance Of Showers And Tstms After Midnight.
Fri...Sw Winds 15 To 20 Kt. Gusts Up To 25 Kt In The Morning. Seas 3 To 5 Ft. Wave Detail: Sw 4 Ft At 5 Seconds And Se 2 Ft At 8 Seconds. Adjacent Sounds And Rivers Choppy. A Chance Of Showers And Tstms.
Fri Night...Sw Winds 10 To 15 Kt. Seas 3 To 4 Ft. Wave Detail: Sw 3 Ft At 5 Seconds And Se 2 Ft At 8 Seconds. Adjacent Sounds And Rivers A Moderate Chop. A Chance Of Tstms. A Chance Of Showers In The Evening, Then Showers Likely After Midnight.
Sat...Sw Winds 10 To 15 Kt. Seas Around 3 Ft. Wave Detail: Sw 3 Ft At 5 Seconds And Se 2 Ft At 8 Seconds. Adjacent Sounds And Rivers A Moderate Chop. A Chance Of Showers And Tstms.
Sat Night...Sw Winds Around 15 Kt. Seas 3 To 4 Ft. Wave Detail: Sw 3 Ft At 5 Seconds And Se 2 Ft At 9 Seconds. Adjacent Sounds And Rivers A Moderate Chop. A Chance Of Showers And Tstms.
Sun...Sw Winds 10 To 15 Kt. Seas 3 To 4 Ft. Adjacent Sounds And Rivers A Moderate Chop. A Chance Of Showers And Tstms.
Sun Night...Sw Winds 10 To 15 Kt. Seas 2 To 4 Ft. Adjacent Sounds And Rivers A Moderate Chop. A Chance Of Tstms. A Chance Of Showers In The Evening, Then Showers Likely After Midnight.
Mon...Nw Winds 10 To 15 Kt, Becoming Ne In The Afternoon. Seas 2 To 3 Ft. Adjacent Sounds And Rivers A Moderate Chop. Showers Likely With A Chance Of Tstms.
Mon Night...E Winds 10 To 15 Kt. Seas 3 To 4 Ft. Adjacent Sounds And Rivers A Moderate Chop. A Chance Of Tstms. Showers Likely, Mainly In The Evening. Winds And Seas Higher In And Near Tstms.
SHARE THIS PAGE:           
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC
625am EDT Thu July 17 2025

Synopsis
High pressure builds into Eastern NC through the weekend with dangerous heat and humidity. A wavy frontal boundary will bring scattered thundershowers Friday into next week.

Near Term - Today
As of 625am Thu... Key Messages... - Hot and humid with heat index values nearing 105 deg this afternoon.

Offshore high pressure will remain anchored offshore with weak troughing over central NC. Heights/thicknesses rise today, giving way to hotter and drier conditions. Heat indices will be flirting with the 105 degree threshold range, but will continue to opt out of heat headlines, as values will likely be brief and not widespread enough for a heat adv at this time. With the inc in thicknesses, expect much less covg of showers/storms, with only a 20-30% chance of storms this afternoon/evening hours.

Short Term - Tonight
As of 210am Thu...Any lingering convection will wane with loss of heating early this evening, though may begin to see nocturnal coastal showers and iso storms develop late. Overnight lows again 75-80 deg.

Long Term - Friday Through Wednesday
As of 530am Thursday... Key Messages... -Diurnal showers and thunderstorms are expected through the long term

-Potential for hazardous heat Friday through Sunday

Jet stream and a stream of shortwaves are pinned well to our north with ridging dominating the synoptic flow over the SE through Saturday. The ridging brings hot, humid conditions and diurnal tstorm chances focused along the sea breeze and the thermal trough in the coastal plain. A wavy frontal boundary will sit over the mid-atlantic Friday, increasing rain chances for northern portions of the CWA (County Warning Area) as well, focused along the Albemarle Sound and areas north into AKQ's CWA. A moist profile paired with the expected higher coverage of storms Friday could bring flash flooding concerns. WPC has portions of our warning area in a slight (2/4) risk for excessive rainfall Friday. Friday through Saturday high temps in the mid 90s paired with Tds in the mid to upper 70s brings apparent temperatures between 100-110F. Proper precautions should be taken by those who either work outdoors or are planning on spending an extended amount of time outside Friday into the weekend. Saturday night the high starts to shift SW'ward, putting us on the northern periphery of the ridging. Models are beginning to indicate a shortwave riding the northern periphery of this ridge, maybe in the form of an MCS, Saturday night. High PWATs (Precipitable Waters) greater than 2", 500mb winds at 15-30kts, and lingering instability makes the environment conducive to stronger storms moving through the region Saturday night. The limiting factor is forcing, as the placement of the ridge determines where along the northern periphery the shortwave, and by extension the MCS, moves through. If the MCS (Mesoscale Convective System, a complex of thunderstorms which becomes organized on a scale larger than the individual thunderstorms) maintains its strength and moves through ENC, it would be capable of heavy rainfall and strong wind gusts. WPC has portions of our warning area in a slight (2/4) risk for excessive rainfall Saturday through Saturday night.

Sunday ridging weakens over ENC with the SW shift of the high, bringing temps down a notch (but still flirting with heat advisory criteria). Monday a back door cold front moves through the region, increasing Probability of Precipitation to above climo as additional forcing is expected to increase storm coverage. Wednesday and Thursday subsidence aloft dries up the mid and upper levels, bringing Probability of Precipitation down as storm coverage along boundaries is expected to be isolated to scattered at best.

Marine
SHORT TERM Through Tonight
As of 625am Thu...Latest obs show SW winds 10-20 kt with seas 2-4 ft. A stronger thermal gradient will develop today, with SW winds increasing to 15-25 kt. SCAs (Small Craft Advisories) continue for the coastal waters as well as Pamlico, Croatan, Roanoke sounds this afternoon through tonight. Seas will build to 3-5 ft as a result.

Long Term - Friday Through Monday
As of 130am Thursday...As we get into the weekend winds do ease slightly as ridging weakens, allowing SW`rly winds to fall from 15- 20 kts on Fri to 10-15 kts on Sat and Sun. 2-4 ft seas on Fri decrease to 2-3 ft for the weekend and Monday. Diurnal showers and thunderstorms will be possible through the period.

NOAA Newport/Morehead City NC Office - Watches - Warnings - Advisories
NC...Beach Hazards Statement through this evening for NCZ196-199- 204-205.

Marine
Small Craft Advisory from 2pm this afternoon to 4am EDT Friday for AMZ135(Pamlico Sound)-150-158-231. Small Craft Advisory from noon today to 6am EDT Friday for AMZ152(Oregon Inlet to Cape Hatteras NC)-154-156.