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Coastal New Hanover storm history

Storm events recorded in Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina between 1950 and 2025.

101
Total events
0
Tornadoes
0
Hail
9
Floods
10
Deaths
$1.5M
Property damage

Most significant events

Strongest tornadoes, deadliest events, and biggest damage in this county. Up to 50 shown.

July 4, 2024 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current1 death
A 21 year old male from Raleigh, NC got caught in a strong rip current before going missing at Kure Beach around noon and is presumed dead.
July 1, 2023 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current1 death
A 58 year old male drowned after trying to save children caught in a rip current at Fort Fisher, NC around 2pm. Fort Fisher lifeguards reported over 50 rip current related rescues during the day. Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue reported 61 rip current rescues and 15 rescues were repo…
April 18, 2021 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current1 death
A 40 year old high school teacher drowned attempting to rescue two children in a rip current.
October 2, 2019 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current1 death
A man from Miami was pulled out to sea and drowned. He was pulled from the water near the J Avenue beach access.
September 25, 2018 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Hurricane (Typhoon) Hurricane (Typhoon)1 death
In the cleanup after Hurricane Florence, an elderly man had a tree limb injury which led to a fatal infection.
October 7, 2017 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current1 death
Strong rip currents caused 20 rip related rescues, with one fatality. The fatality occurred about a quarter mile north of the Crystal Pier around 5 pm. The 52 year woman was pulled from the water by bystanders and family members and was pronounced dead at the scene.
October 7, 2017 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current2 deaths
Strong rip currents caused two fatalities. The incident occurred near the Dolphin Lane beach access. Witnesses urged two good Samaritans to enter the water and rescue a father and child that were caught in a rip current. The two men never made it back to shore and were retrieved …
May 28, 2016 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current1 death
Long period swells from Tropical Storm Bonnie produced strong rip currents and rough surf. A man was pulled out to sea at Carolina Beach and drowned.
May 31, 2014 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current1 death
A young man who was swimming at Carolina Beach got pulled out to sea by a rip current and subsequently drowned. He was swimming between two lifeguard stands near Texas Avenue when the lifeguards saw him go underwater and not come back up.
August 26, 2011 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Tropical Storm Tropical Storm$1.5M damage
Even though the center of Hurricane Irene passed over 100 miles east of the coast of southeastern North Carolina, its large windfield produced tropical storm force winds for nearly 24 hours as it made its landfall near Cape Lookout. The highest recorded wind gust at the Wilmingto…
August 23, 2025 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue reported 10 rip current rescues.
August 19, 2025 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue reported 18 rip current rescues.
August 18, 2025 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue conducted 60 to 70 rip current rescues.
June 28, 2025 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue reported 10 rip current rescues during the day due to moderate rip current activity.
January 21, 2025 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Two to three inches of snow and sleet mix fell across coastal New Hanover county. Increase in vehicle incidents morning of the 23rd due to ice per 911. County offices and numerous schools closed.
August 17, 2024 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue performed 25 rip current rescues due to strong rip currents caused by Hurricane Ernesto.
July 3, 2024 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Prolonged period of strong rip currents and multiple rescues were reported by ocean rescue groups in New Hanover County. Between July 3rd and July 7th, Wrightsville Beach reported 99 rip current rescues, Carolina Beach reported 86 rescues, and Kure Beach reported 14 rip current r…
June 18, 2024 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Prolonged period of strong rip currents and multiple rescues were reported by ocean rescue groups in New Hanover County. Between June 18th and 22nd, Carolina Beach reported 95 rip current rescues, Wrightsville Beach reported 24 rescues, and Kure Beach reported 45 rip current resc…
December 17, 2023 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Coastal Flood Coastal Flood
Wrightsville Beach tide gage at Johnny Mercer Pier crested at 6.68 feet (MLLW).
August 26, 2023 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Carolina Beach lifeguards reported a total of 22 rescues today in the surf.
August 5, 2023 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue performed 20 to 25 rip current rescues today. Wrightsville Beach reported 15 to 20 rip rescues.
July 31, 2023 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue reported 17 rip current rescues.
July 4, 2023 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
A total of 46 rip current rescues were reported by county lifeguards. Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue reported 25 rip current rescues, Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue reported 18 rip current rescues, and 3 rescues were reported at Kure Beach.
July 3, 2023 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
A total of 90 rip current rescues were reported by county lifeguards. Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue reported 70 rip current rescues, Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue reported 18 rip current rescues, and 2 rescues were reported at Kure Beach.
July 2, 2023 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue reported 70 rip current rescues, Kure Beach Ocean Rescue performed 16 rip rescues, and 12 rescues were reported at Wrightsville Beach.
June 18, 2023 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue and Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue made 10 rip current rescues each with moderate rip currents reported.
June 17, 2023 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue made 19 rip current rescues with strong rip currents reported. Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue made 15 rip current rescues with moderate rip currents reported.
September 30, 2022 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Storm Surge/Tide Storm Surge/Tide
Storm surge flooding closed roads in Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach along with some roads east of Greenville Loop Rd. impassable during the peak of the event. A separate area of storm surge developed along the Cape Fear River with 2 feet of water covering Water St. in down…
September 30, 2022 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Tropical Storm Tropical Storm
Tropical storm force wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph associated with Hurricane Ian resulted in some downed trees and isolated downed power lines. Rainfall amounts averaged 3 to 4 inches.
September 4, 2022 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue conducted 15 to 20 rip current rescues.
August 27, 2022 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue conducted 15 rip current rescues.
July 2, 2022 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Tropical Storm Tropical Storm
The NOS gauge at Johnny Mercer Pier measured a 42 knot gust.
May 30, 2022 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue reported 18 rip current related water rescues at Carolina Beach, NC.
May 28, 2022 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue reported 16 rip current related water rescues at Carolina Beach, NC.
March 12, 2022 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
High Wind High Wind
NOS gauge measured a gust to 65 mph at Johnny Mercer Pier in Wrightsville Beach.
March 12, 2022 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
High Wind High Wind
NOS gauge measured a gust to 59 mph at Johnny Mercer Pier in Wrightsville Beach.
January 21, 2022 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Significant ice accumulations occurred due to freezing rain before sleet mixed in overnight and finishing with a brief dusting of snow. 0.2-0.25 of ice reported by EM, with less on beaches. US-421 was closed in both directions in Carolina Beach near Dow Road N due to icy conditio…
November 7, 2021 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Coastal Flood Coastal Flood
NOS tide gauge at Johnny Mercer Pier in Wrightsville Beach measured a water level of 7.71 ft MLLW at 918 AM EST. Coastal flooding occurred on several roads in the Wrightsville Beach area including parts of the Wrightsville Beach Elementary School playground.
November 6, 2021 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Coastal Flood Coastal Flood
NOS tide gauge at Johnny Mercer Pier in Wrightsville Beach measured a water level of 7.75 ft MLLW at 812 AM EST. Additionally, the areas around Wrightsville Beach Elementary School were flooded, several residences along Paige's Creek were inundated, and several vehicles were dama…
October 2, 2021 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Strong rip currents led to 30 rescues at Wrightsville Beach, NC.
September 5, 2021 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Moderate rip current activity led to several rip current rescues at New Hanover county beaches. Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue reported sixteen rescues, Kure Beach reported five, and Carolina Beach had one rescue.
September 4, 2021 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue reported fourteen rip current rescues during the day from moderate rip current activity.
August 20, 2021 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Strong rip currents generated by Hurricane Henri swells led to 30 rip current rescues at Wrightsville Beach, 8 rescues at Carolina Beach, and 15 at Kure Beach.
August 14, 2021 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Moderate rip current activity led to 14 rip current rescues in total across New Hanover county beaches during the day. There were 8 at Wrightsville Beach, 3 at Carolina Beach, and 3 at Kure Beach.
July 8, 2021 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Tropical Storm Tropical Storm
The Federal Point WeatherFlow station measured a peak gust of 53 mph, with sustained winds of 41 mph.
July 6, 2021 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue reported 34 rip current rescues due to strong rip currents.
July 4, 2021 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue reported 38 rip current rescues in the afternoon from moderate rip currents.
September 15, 2020 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Coastal Flood Coastal Flood
The tide gauge at Johnny Mercer peaked at 6.51 feet. Flood stage is 6 feet.
August 3, 2020 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Storm Surge/Tide Storm Surge/Tide
Storm surge flooding occurred at the intersection of Canal Drive and Pelican Lane.
June 20, 2020 · Coastal New Hanover, North Carolina
Rip Current Rip Current
Strong rip currents caused 12 people to be rescued by lifeguards.

Events by year

YearEventsTornadoes
202550
202440
2023100
2022100
2021110
202030
201930
2018130
201740
201640
201540
201450
201340
2012170
201140