Marine forecast
S of Cape Hatteras NC to Ocracoke Inlet
- current wind
- 3 kt WNW
- Gusts
- 5 kt
- Seas
- 3.0 ft
- Period
- 7 sec
- Air
- 75°F
Observed Tue 3:00 PM | AMZ154
- Gusts now
- 5 kt
- Seas now
- 3.0 ft · 7 sec
- Air
- 75°F
- Water
- 74°F
- 72-hr peak
- 19 kt
In brief
At 3:00 pm EDT on Oct 13, 2026, NDBC station HCGN7 (USCG Station Hatteras, NC, 6 miles away) measured wind from the WNW at 3 kt, gusting to 5 kt; buoy 41120 measured seas of 3.0 ft. The NWS forecast for S of Cape Hatteras NC to Ocracoke Inlet issued at 2:07 pm EDT on Oct 13, 2026 reads, for tonight: “S winds around 5 kt, becoming SW late this evening and overnight. Seas 2 to 3 ft.”
Source: National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC forecast; NDBC observations
Wind forecast · ktPeak 19 kt
Seas forecast · ftPeak 4 ft
NWS marine forecast
| Period | Forecast |
|---|---|
| Tonight | S winds around 5 kt, becoming SW late this evening and overnight. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave Detail: NE 2 ft at 7 seconds and SE 2 ft at 8 seconds. |
| Wed | SW winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 2 ft at 3 seconds and NE 2 ft at 7 seconds. |
| Wed Night | SW winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 2 ft at 4 seconds and NE 2 ft at 7 seconds. |
| Thu | W winds 10 to 15 kt, becoming NW 5 to 10 kt in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 2 ft at 4 seconds and NE 2 ft at 8 seconds. |
| Thu Night | S winds around 5 kt, becoming SW 10 to 15 kt after midnight. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 2 ft at 4 seconds and NE 2 ft at 9 seconds. |
| Fri | SW winds around 15 kt, increasing to around 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt in the afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: SW 4 ft at 5 seconds and NE 3 ft at 9 seconds. |
| Fri Night | SW winds 25 to 30 kt, becoming NW after midnight. Gusts up to 35 kt. Seas 5 to 7 ft. Showers likely. |
| Sat | N winds 25 to 30 kt, diminishing to 20 to 25 kt in the afternoon. Seas 5 to 7 ft. |
| Sat Night | N winds 20 to 25 kt, becoming NE 15 to 20 kt after midnight. Seas 5 to 7 ft. |
| Sun | NE winds 15 to 20 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. |
| Sun Night | NE winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. |
Issued Tue 2:07 PM by Newport/Morehead City NC (product CWFMHX).
Recent buoy conditions
| Time | Wind | Gust | Seas | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 3:00 PM | 3 kt WNW | 5 kt | — | 74°F |
| Tue 2:54 PM | 4 kt W | 5 kt | — | 74°F |
| Tue 1:54 PM | 4 kt WNW | 6 kt | — | 73°F |
| Tue 12:54 PM | 3 kt WNW | 4 kt | — | 73°F |
| Tue 11:54 AM | 3 kt NNW | 4 kt | — | 73°F |
| Tue 10:54 AM | 5 kt NNW | 6 kt | — | 73°F |
| Tue 9:54 AM | 3 kt NNW | 3 kt | — | 72°F |
| Tue 8:54 AM | 3 kt NNW | 3 kt | — | 72°F |
| Tue 7:54 AM | 2 kt NW | 3 kt | — | 73°F |
| Tue 6:54 AM | 0 kt | 1 kt | — | 73°F |
| Tue 5:54 AM | 0 kt | 1 kt | — | 73°F |
| Tue 4:54 AM | 0 kt | 0 kt | — | 73°F |
Observed Tue 3:00 PM at NDBC buoy HCGN7 (USCG Station Hatteras, NC), 6.1 miles away. Seas from buoy 41120 (Cape Hatteras East, NC (250)), 24.4 miles away, at Tue 2:56 PM.
Frequently asked questions
What is the marine forecast for S of Cape Hatteras NC to Ocracoke Inlet today?
Tonight: S winds around 5 kt, becoming SW late this evening and overnight. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave Detail: NE 2 ft at 7 seconds and SE 2 ft at 8 seconds.
Is there a small craft advisory for S of Cape Hatteras NC to Ocracoke Inlet?
No advisories, warnings or watches are in effect for NWS zone AMZ154 as of the last update on this page. Advisories can be issued at any time; check the current bulletin before leaving the dock.
How high are the waves at S of Cape Hatteras NC to Ocracoke Inlet right now?
Seas are running 3.0 ft at a 7-second period, measured at NDBC buoy HCGN7 Tue 3:00 PM, 6.1 miles from this zone. The forecast peaks at 4.0 ft Fri 2 PM.
What is the water temperature at S of Cape Hatteras NC to Ocracoke Inlet?
The nearest buoy read 74°F (23°C) at Tue 3:00 PM. Sea surface temperature at a single buoy can differ by several degrees from the water at a beach or in a shallow bay nearby.
What do the wind speeds in knots mean?
One knot is 1.15 mph. The National Weather Service issues a small craft advisory for sustained winds of roughly 22–33 knots or hazardous seas, a gale warning at 34–47 knots, and a storm warning at 48 knots and above. Exact advisory thresholds vary by forecast office and by water body — a bay reaches dangerous chop at a lower wind speed than open ocean.
Where does this forecast come from?
The forecast text is the National Weather Service's own marine bulletin for zone AMZ154, issued by Newport/Morehead City NC, reproduced in full. The wind and seas charts are drawn from the NWS gridded forecast for a point inside the zone. Observations come from the nearest reporting NDBC buoy. We are not affiliated with NOAA or the National Weather Service.
Forecast: NOAA/NWS product CWFMHX, issued Tue 2:07 PM. Observations: NOAA National Data Buoy Center station HCGN7, read Tue 3:00 PM. Retrieved Oct 13, 3:42 PM. Conditions offshore change faster than any page can be rebuilt, so check the current NWS bulletin and your own instruments before going out.