Marine forecast
Cape Hatteras–Ocracoke Inlet (20-60 nm), NC
- current wind
- 4 kt NW
- Gusts
- 6 kt
- Seas
- 3.0 ft
- Period
- 7 sec
- Air
- 73°F
Observed Tue 3:00 PM | AMZ184
- Gusts now
- 6 kt
- Seas now
- 3.0 ft · 7 sec
- Air
- 73°F
- Water
- 78°F
- 72-hr peak
- 20 kt
In brief
At 3:00 pm EDT on Oct 13, 2026, NDBC station 41025 (Diamond Shoals, NC, 10 miles away) measured wind from the NW at 4 kt, gusting to 6 kt; buoy 41120 measured seas of 3.0 ft. The NWS forecast for Cape Hatteras–Ocracoke Inlet (20-60 nm), NC issued at 2:07 pm EDT on Oct 13, 2026 reads, for tonight: “E winds around 5 kt, becoming S late this evening and early morning, then becoming SW late. Seas 3 to 4 ft.”
Source: National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC forecast; NDBC observations
Wind forecast · ktPeak 20 kt
Seas forecast · ftPeak 5 ft
NWS marine forecast
| Period | Forecast |
|---|---|
| Tonight | E winds around 5 kt, becoming S late this evening and early morning, then becoming SW late. Seas 3 to 4 ft. |
| Wed | SW winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas around 3 ft. |
| Wed Night | SW winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. |
| Thu | W winds 10 to 15 kt, diminishing to 5 to 10 kt in the afternoon. Seas around 3 ft. |
| Thu Night | SW winds 5 to 10 kt, increasing to 10 to 15 kt after midnight. Seas 3 to 4 ft. |
| Fri | SW winds 15 to 20 kt. Gusts up to 25 kt in the afternoon. Seas 3 to 4 ft, building to 4 to 6 ft in the afternoon. |
| Fri Night | SW winds 25 to 30 kt, becoming NW after midnight. Gusts up to 40 kt. Seas 5 to 7 ft, building to 6 to 9 ft after midnight. Showers. |
| Sat | N winds 25 to 30 kt. Seas 8 to 11 ft. A chance of showers in the morning. |
| Sat Night | N winds 25 to 30 kt. Seas 8 to 11 ft. |
| Sun | NE winds 20 to 25 kt, diminishing to 15 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Seas 6 to 9 ft. |
| Sun Night | E winds 15 to 20 kt. Seas 6 to 8 ft, subsiding to 5 to 6 ft after midnight. |
Issued Tue 2:07 PM by Newport/Morehead City NC (product CWFMHX).
Recent buoy conditions
| Time | Wind | Gust | Seas | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 3:00 PM | 4 kt NW | 6 kt | — | 78°F |
| Tue 2:50 PM | 4 kt NW | 6 kt | 3.0 ft | 78°F |
| Tue 1:50 PM | 4 kt NNW | 4 kt | 3.0 ft | 79°F |
| Tue 12:50 PM | 4 kt N | 6 kt | 2.6 ft | 78°F |
| Tue 11:50 AM | 6 kt NNW | 8 kt | 3.0 ft | 78°F |
| Tue 10:50 AM | 8 kt N | 10 kt | 3.0 ft | 78°F |
| Tue 9:50 AM | 6 kt NNE | 8 kt | 2.6 ft | 78°F |
| Tue 8:50 AM | 6 kt N | 8 kt | 2.3 ft | 77°F |
| Tue 7:50 AM | 6 kt NNE | 8 kt | 2.3 ft | 77°F |
| Tue 6:50 AM | 8 kt N | 8 kt | 2.3 ft | 77°F |
| Tue 5:50 AM | 6 kt NNE | 8 kt | 2.3 ft | 77°F |
| Tue 4:50 AM | 6 kt NNE | 8 kt | 2.3 ft | 77°F |
Observed Tue 3:00 PM at NDBC buoy 41025 (Diamond Shoals, NC), 10.4 miles away. Seas from buoy 41120 (Cape Hatteras East, NC (250)), 25.0 miles away, at Tue 2:56 PM.
Frequently asked questions
What is the marine forecast for Cape Hatteras–Ocracoke Inlet (20-60 nm) today?
Tonight: E winds around 5 kt, becoming S late this evening and early morning, then becoming SW late. Seas 3 to 4 ft.
Is there a small craft advisory for Cape Hatteras–Ocracoke Inlet (20-60 nm)?
No advisories, warnings or watches are in effect for NWS zone AMZ184 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 Cape Hatteras–Ocracoke Inlet (20-60 nm) right now?
Seas are running 3.0 ft at a 7-second period, measured at NDBC buoy 41025 Tue 3:00 PM, 10.4 miles from this zone. The forecast peaks at 5.0 ft Fri 2 PM.
What is the water temperature at Cape Hatteras–Ocracoke Inlet (20-60 nm)?
The nearest buoy read 78°F (26°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 AMZ184, 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 41025, 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.