Special Marine Warning Issued for Coastal North Carolina Waters Through Late Afternoon

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Newport/Morehead City NC has issued a Special Marine Warning for several coastal regions in North Carolina. The alert was issued at 2:59 PM EDT following radar detection of a front moving northeast at 35 knots.

Affected Areas

The warning covers the following geographic regions:

• Neuse and Bay Rivers
• South of Ocracoke Inlet to Cape Lookout NC (out to 40 nm)
• South of Cape Lookout to Surf City NC (out to 40 nm)

Specific locations impacted include Salter Path, Ocracoke Inlet, Atlantic Beach, the Morehead City-Atlantic Beach Bridge, Bogue Sound, Drum Inlet, Beaufort Inlet, and Pine Knoll Shores, as well as various offshore locations including Ar342, Ar320, 14 Buoy, Ar345, Cape Lookout Bight, and the vicinity of Atlantic and Davis.

What You Should Do

Mariners are urged to move to safe harbor immediately. Hazardous weather, including gusty winds and high waves, is expected to impact the area. Boaters should remain in shelter until the conditions pass to avoid potential damage to small craft.

Expected Conditions

The primary hazards include wind gusts reaching nearly 50 knots. A significant wind shift is expected, moving from the southwest to the northwest behind the passing front. These conditions are likely to cause suddenly higher waves and potential damage to vessels.

Timeline

The Special Marine Warning is effective immediately as of 2:59 PM EDT and is scheduled to expire at 4:30 PM EDT on March 12, 2026.