High Surf Advisory covers Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island through Sunday evening; all three Outer Banks inlets are inside active NWS advisory zones
Updated October 12 at 11:42 AM EDT: NWS Newport/Morehead City NC re-issued Small Craft Advisories at midday for the northern Outer Banks nearshore corridor. Currituck Beach Light NC to Oregon Inlet NC runs through 8:00 PM EDT; Oregon Inlet NC to Cape Hatteras NC and Cape Hatteras NC to Ocracoke Inlet NC both run through 7:00 PM EDT — extended five hours beyond the 2:00 PM EDT window. The southern corridor (Ocracoke Inlet to Surf City) is cleared. Afternoon and evening departures from Oregon Inlet and Hatteras Village remain inside active advisory zones. Check weather.gov/mhx. Prior: Updated October 12 at 2:50 AM EDT: NWS Newport/Morehead City NC re-issued Small Craft Advisories for the full Outer Banks nearshore corridor, 0 to 20 NM. Currituck Beach Light NC to Oregon Inlet NC runs through 6:00 PM EDT Monday. Oregon Inlet NC to Cape Hatteras NC and Cape Hatteras NC to Ocracoke Inlet NC both run through 2:00 PM EDT Monday. Ocracoke Inlet NC to Cape Lookout NC and Cape Lookout NC to Surf City NC also run through 2:00 PM EDT Monday. The entire Currituck-to-Surf-City corridor remains inside active advisory zones through Monday afternoon. Check weather.gov/mhx. Prior: Updated October 12 at 1:35 AM EDT: NWS Jacksonville FL re-issued a Coastal Flood Advisory for five northeast Florida county zones: Inland Flagler, Eastern Clay, Eastern Putnam, South Central Duval, and Western St. Johns. Advisory extended through 4:00 PM EDT Monday, October 12 — past the Monday morning departure window. Waterfront access roads, boat ramp approaches, and waterfront parking along the St. Johns River and Intracoastal Waterway corridor in northeast Florida may see standing water through Monday afternoon. Check weather.gov/jax. Prior: Updated October 11 at 11:15 PM EDT: NWS Charleston SC Small Craft Advisories for coastal waters from South Santee River to Savannah GA out 20 NM are cleared. No active NWS advisory for SC coastal zones as of late Sunday night. Monday departures from SC ports face no Small Craft Advisory restrictions; check weather.gov/chs. Prior: Updated October 11 at 10:43 PM EDT: NWS Charleston SC re-issued Small Craft Advisories for the South Carolina coastal corridor. Coastal waters from South Santee River to Edisto Beach SC out 20 NM and coastal waters from Edisto Beach SC to Savannah GA out 20 NM are under SCA through 11:45 PM EDT. Check weather.gov/chs. Prior: Updated October 11 at 5:28 PM EDT: NWS Charleston SC re-issued Small Craft Advisories for the South Carolina and Georgia coastal corridor. Coastal waters from South Santee River to Edisto Beach SC out 20 NM and coastal waters from Edisto Beach SC to Savannah GA out 20 NM are under SCA through 11:00 PM EDT. Offshore waters from Savannah GA to Altamaha Sound GA from 20 to 60 NM are under SCA through 8:00 PM EDT. Check weather.gov/chs. Prior: Updated October 11 at 3:14 PM EDT: NWS Jacksonville FL re-issued a Coastal Flood Advisory at 3:14 PM EDT for five northeast Florida county zones: Inland Flagler, Eastern Clay, Eastern Putnam, South Central Duval, and Western St. Johns. Advisory runs through 8:00 AM EDT Monday, October 12. Minor inundation continues; waterfront access roads, boat ramp approaches, and waterfront parking along the St. Johns River and Intracoastal Waterway corridor may see standing water through Monday morning. Check weather.gov/jax. Prior: Updated October 11 at 12:58 PM EDT: NWS Charleston SC re-issued Small Craft Advisories for the South Carolina and offshore Georgia coast. Coastal waters from South Santee River to Edisto Beach SC out 20 NM and coastal waters from Edisto Beach SC to Savannah GA out 20 NM are under SCA through 11:00 PM EDT Sunday. Waters from Savannah GA to Altamaha Sound GA from 20 to 60 NM are under SCA through 8:00 PM EDT. Check weather.gov/chs before any late Sunday departure from SC or Georgia ports. Prior: Updated October 11 at 12:01 PM EDT: NWS Newport/Morehead City NC issued a Small Craft Advisory for waters south of Currituck Beach Light NC to Oregon Inlet NC out to 20 NM through 6:00 PM EDT Monday, October 12. A separate advisory covers waters south of Ocracoke Inlet NC to Cape Lookout NC and south of Cape Lookout NC to Surf City NC out to 20 NM through 2:00 PM EDT Monday. Active SCA zones now run from Currituck Beach Light south through Surf City. Prior: Updated October 11 at 8:30 AM EDT: NWS Newport/Morehead City NC issued a Gale Warning for the Outer Banks 20-to-60 NM offshore corridor (Oregon Inlet to Ocracoke Inlet) through 2:00 AM EDT Monday, October 12, and a Small Craft Advisory for the inshore 0-to-20 NM corridor through 2:00 PM EDT Monday. The High Surf Advisory for Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island runs through 8:00 PM EDT Sunday. Oregon Inlet, Hatteras Inlet, and Ocracoke Inlet remain inside active NWS advisory zones through Monday.
Update, Monday October 12 at 11:42 AM EDT: NWS Newport/Morehead City NC (weather.gov/mhx) re-issued Small Craft Advisories at 11:42 AM EDT for the northern Outer Banks nearshore corridor. Coastal waters south of Oregon Inlet NC to Cape Hatteras NC out to 20 NM and south of Cape Hatteras NC to Ocracoke Inlet NC out to 20 NM are under advisory through 7:00 PM EDT Monday — an extension of five hours beyond the 2:00 PM EDT expiry in the 2:50 AM EDT issuance. Coastal waters south of Currituck Beach Light NC to Oregon Inlet NC out to 20 NM run through 8:00 PM EDT Monday — two hours beyond the 6:00 PM EDT window set overnight. The two southern zones — south of Ocracoke Inlet NC to Cape Lookout NC and south of Cape Lookout NC to Surf City NC — are cleared and carry no active advisory. The net result: afternoon and evening departures from Oregon Inlet Marina, Hatteras Village, and Ocracoke are inside active Small Craft Advisory conditions through Monday evening. The Onslow Bay approach from Surf City is no longer under advisory. The zone text at weather.gov/mhx is the current pre-departure check. NWS products are the pre-launch check.
Update, Monday October 12 at 2:50 AM EDT: NWS Newport/Morehead City NC (weather.gov/mhx) re-issued Small Craft Advisories at 2:50 AM EDT for the full Outer Banks nearshore corridor from Currituck Beach Light NC south to Surf City NC, 0 to 20 NM offshore. Coastal waters south of Currituck Beach Light NC to Oregon Inlet NC out to 20 NM are under advisory through 6:00 PM EDT Monday, October 12, per the advisory headline. Coastal waters south of Oregon Inlet NC to Cape Hatteras NC out to 20 NM and south of Cape Hatteras NC to Ocracoke Inlet NC out to 20 NM are both under advisory through 2:00 PM EDT Monday. Coastal waters south of Ocracoke Inlet NC to Cape Lookout NC out to 20 NM and south of Cape Lookout NC to Surf City NC out to 20 NM are also under advisory through 2:00 PM EDT Monday. The re-issuance confirms active Small Craft Advisory conditions across all five Outer Banks nearshore zones through Monday afternoon and, for the northern Currituck-to-Oregon-Inlet zone, through Monday evening. Anglers planning a Monday departure from Duck, Corolla, Wanchese, Oregon Inlet Marina, Hatteras Village, or the Ocracoke and Onslow Bay access points south to Surf City should pull the current zone text at weather.gov/mhx before leaving the dock. NWS products are the pre-launch check.
Update, Monday October 12 at 1:35 AM EDT: NWS Jacksonville FL (weather.gov/jax) issued a Coastal Flood Advisory at 1:35 AM EDT for five northeast Florida county zones: Inland Flagler, Eastern Clay, Eastern Putnam, South Central Duval, and Western St. Johns. The advisory runs through 4:00 PM EDT Monday, October 12 — an eight-hour extension beyond the 8:00 AM EDT end time issued Sunday afternoon. Minor inundation of low-lying tidal and waterfront areas continues. Waterfront access roads, boat ramp approaches, and waterfront parking along the St. Johns River and Intracoastal Waterway corridor in northeast Florida may see standing water through Monday afternoon. Anglers planning Monday morning or midday departures from northeast Florida Atlantic-side ports — Fernandina Beach, Mayport, Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra, St. Augustine — should verify waterfront access conditions and check current products at weather.gov/jax before heading to the ramp. NWS products are the pre-launch check.
Update, Sunday October 11 at 11:15 PM EDT: NWS Charleston SC Small Craft Advisories for coastal waters from South Santee River to Edisto Beach SC out 20 NM and coastal waters from Edisto Beach SC to Savannah GA out 20 NM are cleared. The last issuance, at 10:43 PM EDT, ran through 11:45 PM EDT. No follow-on advisory has been issued. Anglers planning a Monday morning departure from Georgetown, Pawleys Island, McClellanville, or the Charleston-area ports can proceed without Small Craft Advisory restrictions on the SC inshore zones. Verify current products at weather.gov/chs before any departure. NWS products are the pre-launch check.
Update, Sunday October 11 at 10:43 PM EDT: NWS Charleston SC (weather.gov/chs) re-issued Small Craft Advisories at 10:43 PM EDT for the South Carolina coastal corridor. Coastal waters from South Santee River to Edisto Beach SC out 20 nautical miles and coastal waters from Edisto Beach SC to Savannah GA out 20 nautical miles are under advisory through 11:45 PM EDT Sunday — a 45-minute extension beyond the 11:00 PM EDT expiry noted in the prior issuance. The offshore zone from Savannah GA to Altamaha Sound GA from 20 to 60 NM is not included in this re-issuance; that zone expired at 8:00 PM EDT. Anglers planning any late Sunday night departure from South Carolina ports should confirm that advisory conditions have cleared before heading to the water after midnight. The zone text at weather.gov/chs is the pre-launch check. NWS products are the pre-launch check.
Update, Sunday October 11 at 5:28 PM EDT: NWS Charleston SC (weather.gov/chs) re-issued Small Craft Advisories at 5:28 PM EDT for the South Carolina and Georgia coastal corridor. The re-issuance carries the same expiry times as the 12:58 PM EDT issuance: coastal waters from South Santee River to Edisto Beach SC out 20 nautical miles and coastal waters from Edisto Beach SC to Savannah GA out 20 nautical miles, both through 11:00 PM EDT Sunday; offshore waters from Savannah GA to Altamaha Sound GA from 20 to 60 nautical miles through 8:00 PM EDT Sunday. Advisory conditions have not improved ahead of the Sunday evening window. The offshore GA corridor (20 to 60 NM) expires first, at 8:00 PM EDT. The SC inshore zones from South Santee River south through Savannah run through 11:00 PM EDT. Anglers planning any late Sunday departure from Georgetown, Pawleys Island, McClellanville, or the Charleston-area ports should confirm current zone text at weather.gov/chs before departure. NWS products are the pre-launch check.
Update, Sunday October 11 at 3:14 PM EDT: NWS Jacksonville FL (weather.gov/jax) re-issued a Coastal Flood Advisory at 3:14 PM EDT for five northeast Florida county zones: Inland Flagler, Eastern Clay, Eastern Putnam, South Central Duval, and Western St. Johns. The advisory runs through 8:00 AM EDT Monday, October 12 — the same end time confirmed in the morning issuance. Minor inundation of low-lying tidal and waterfront areas is expected to continue through overnight high tide cycles; waterfront access roads, boat ramp approaches, and waterfront parking along the St. Johns River and Intracoastal Waterway corridor in northeast Florida may have standing water through Monday morning. The advisory covers the tidal back-bay areas of Clay, Putnam, and St. Johns counties and the Intracoastal Waterway corridor from Duval south through Flagler. Anglers planning early Monday departures from northeast Florida Atlantic-side ports — Fernandina Beach, Mayport, Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra, St. Augustine — should verify waterfront access conditions and check current products at weather.gov/jax before heading to the ramp. NWS products are the pre-launch check.
Update, Sunday October 11 at 12:58 PM EDT: NWS Charleston SC (weather.gov/chs) re-issued Small Craft Advisories at 12:58 PM EDT for the South Carolina and offshore Georgia coastal corridor. Coastal waters from South Santee River to Edisto Beach SC out 20 NM run through 11:00 PM EDT Sunday. Coastal waters from Edisto Beach SC to Savannah GA out 20 NM also run through 11:00 PM EDT Sunday. Waters from Savannah GA to Altamaha Sound GA from 20 to 60 NM are under SCA through 8:00 PM EDT Sunday. The inshore SC corridor from South Santee River south through Savannah GA — covering departure corridors for Georgetown, Pawleys Island, McClellanville, and the Charleston-area ports — remains inside active SCA zones through late Sunday night. Anglers planning any afternoon or evening departure from coastal SC or Georgia ports should confirm current zone text at weather.gov/chs before departure. NWS products are the pre-launch check.
Update, Sunday October 11 at 12:01 PM EDT: NWS Newport/Morehead City NC (weather.gov/mhx) issued a Small Craft Advisory at 12:01 PM EDT for waters south of Currituck Beach Light NC to Oregon Inlet NC out to 20 NM, running through 6:00 PM EDT Monday, October 12. The same issuance also covers waters south of Ocracoke Inlet NC to Cape Lookout NC out to 20 NM and south of Cape Lookout NC to Surf City NC out to 20 NM, running through 2:00 PM EDT Monday, October 12. The noon update adds Currituck Beach Light to Oregon Inlet as a new SCA zone and extends inshore advisory coverage south from Ocracoke Inlet through Cape Lookout to Surf City. Anglers planning any Monday departure from NC coastal inlets in this corridor, including those at Duck, Wanchese, Hatteras Village, and the Cape Lookout-area ports, should check weather.gov/mhx for current zone text before departure. NWS products are the pre-launch check.
Update, Sunday October 11 at 8:30 AM EDT: NWS Newport/Morehead City NC (weather.gov/mhx) issued a Gale Warning and a Small Craft Advisory for Outer Banks offshore and inshore zones at 8:30 AM EDT. The Gale Warning covers waters from Oregon Inlet to Cape Hatteras NC and from Cape Hatteras to Ocracoke Inlet NC from 20 to 60 NM out, running through 2:00 AM EDT Monday, October 12. The Small Craft Advisory covers the 0-to-20 NM inshore corridors south of Oregon Inlet to Cape Hatteras and south of Cape Hatteras to Ocracoke Inlet, running through 2:00 PM EDT Monday, October 12. Gale-force conditions in the 20-to-60 NM corridor confirm that offshore departures from Oregon Inlet and Hatteras Village face gale-force conditions through early Monday morning; the inshore corridor carries Small Craft Advisory conditions into Monday afternoon. A separate Gale Warning for waters from Currituck Beach Light to Oregon Inlet from 20 to 60 NM, issued at 5:42 AM EDT Sunday, has been cleared. The zone text for the specific departure water is at weather.gov/mhx. NWS products are the pre-launch check.
Update, Sunday October 11 at 7:26 AM EDT: NWS Jacksonville FL (weather.gov/jax) issued a Coastal Flood Advisory at 7:26 AM EDT for five northeast Florida county zones: Inland Flagler, Eastern Clay, Eastern Putnam, South Central Duval, and Western St. Johns. The advisory runs through 8:00 AM EDT Monday, October 12. Minor inundation of low-lying tidal and waterfront areas is expected; waterfront access roads, boat ramp approaches, and waterfront parking along the St. Johns River and Intracoastal Waterway corridor in northeast Florida may see standing water through Monday morning. NWS Charleston SC (weather.gov/chs) also issued Small Craft Advisories at 7:16 AM EDT for coastal waters from South Santee River SC to Edisto Beach SC out 20 NM and from Edisto Beach SC to Savannah GA out 20 NM, both running through 11:00 PM EDT Sunday. The SC coastal offshore corridor from South Santee River south to Savannah is inside active SCA zones through Sunday night. NWS Jacksonville FL products are at weather.gov/jax; NWS Charleston SC products are at weather.gov/chs. NWS products are the pre-launch check.
NWS Newport/Morehead City NC (weather.gov/mhx) issued a High Surf Advisory for Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island at 2:18 AM EDT Sunday, October 11, running through 8:00 PM EDT. Hatteras Island extends from Oregon Inlet at its northern end to Hatteras Inlet at its southern tip; Ocracoke Island runs from Hatteras Inlet south to Ocracoke Inlet. All three inlets are inside the advisory zone for the full Sunday daylight window.
Oregon Inlet is the primary offshore departure point for the northern Outer Banks charter fleet, including boats working nearshore structure and the canyon corridor south of the Gulf Stream edge. Hatteras Village and Ocracoke serve offshore and nearshore sportfishing from Hatteras Inlet and Ocracoke Inlet. A High Surf Advisory indicates breaking wave heights on ocean-facing beaches are above safe levels. Inlet bar conditions after a major storm can differ substantially from the offshore zone forecast. Oregon Inlet bar is particularly sensitive to large swell events, and its configuration after a significant storm is not accurately reflected in the zone sea-height forecast alone. A marina call or a check at the Oregon Inlet Marina or local Coast Guard station is the right bar check; the NWS zone text for the specific departure water is at weather.gov/mhx.
The same storm system has produced Small Craft Advisories for coastal waters from Savannah GA to Altamaha Sound GA out to 20 NM through 2:00 PM EDT Sunday, and for the 20-to-60 NM offshore zone through 8:00 PM EDT. NWS Charleston SC also issued a Rip Current Statement for the Charleston SC coast through 8:00 PM EDT Sunday and Coastal Flood Advisories for Charleston and Coastal Colleton counties through 11:00 AM EDT. Conditions coverage for the full East Coast storm corridor is linked below. This is a conditions notice; NWS products are the pre-launch check.
On the water: Rules and conditions can change quickly. Confirm current regulations and official marine forecasts for your exact trip.