Active Marine Alerts
Live Buoy Observation — Station 41013
OBSERVED conditions right now (not a forecast) — 24 min ago. Use this to sanity-check the forecast above before you go, not to replace it.
Today's Tide & Fishing Outlook
Tide curve is interpolated between NOAA's predicted highs/lows (not a raw continuous reading). The curve's color follows the same GREEN/YELLOW/ORANGE/RED boating rating as the forecast table below. Shaded bands mark traditional solunar major/minor periods — see the Moon & Solunar card for the caveat on what that theory actually predicts.
AMZ252: next 5 days
Forecast issued Tue 10:28 AM UTC · NWS zone AMZ252
| Period | NOAA seas / wave detail | Wind | Weather | Trophy assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TODAY | 2-3 ft E 3 ft @ 5 sec SE 1 ft @ 8 sec | NE 5-15 kt | Chance of thunderstorms, Chance of showers | RED
Stay inside (>=3 ft @ 5 sec, <=5 sec threshold)
INLET CAUTION: Falling tide may oppose incoming swell. Verify actual conditions at Shallotte Inlet before crossing.
|
| TONIGHT | 2-4 ft E 3 ft @ 7 sec | NE 10-20 kt | Chance of thunderstorms, Chance of showers | ORANGE
Rough, usually wait (~3 ft @ 7 sec)
INLET CAUTION: Falling tide may oppose incoming swell. Verify actual conditions at Shallotte Inlet before crossing.
|
| WED | 4-6 ft NE 4 ft @ 7 sec SE 1 ft @ 10 sec | NE 15-20 kt Gusts to 25 kt | Chance of thunderstorms, Showers likely, (in the morning) | RED
No-go (4 ft @ 7 sec)
|
| WED NIGHT | 5-7 ft N 6 ft @ 5 sec NE 3 ft @ 12 sec | NE 20-25 kt Gusts to 30 kt | Chance of thunderstorms, Chance of showers | RED
No-go (6 ft, at/above absolute limit)
|
| THU | 5-7 ft NE 7 ft @ 11 sec NE 6 ft @ 7 sec | N 20-25 kt Gusts to 30 kt | Chance of thunderstorms, Showers likely | RED
No-go (7 ft, at/above absolute limit)
|
| THU NIGHT | 5-7 ft E 7 ft @ 11 sec NE 5 ft @ 7 sec | N 20-30 kt | Chance of thunderstorms, Chance of showers | RED
No-go (7 ft, at/above absolute limit)
INLET CAUTION: Falling tide may oppose incoming swell. Verify actual conditions at Shallotte Inlet before crossing.
|
| FRI | 4-6 ft | N 10-25 kt | None | RED
No-go (4-6 ft, at/above absolute limit)
|
| FRI NIGHT | 4-6 ft | N 10-15 kt | None | RED
No-go (4-6 ft, at/above absolute limit)
|
| SAT | 3-5 ft | N 10-15 kt | None | RED
No-go (3-5 ft, at/above absolute limit)
|
| SAT NIGHT | 2-4 ft | N 5-10 kt | None | ORANGE (provisional)
Provisional: seas 2-4 ft, wave period unknown
|
NWS zone remarks: Winds and seas higher in and near tstms.
Shallotte Inlet Tides
| Date | Time | Type | Height (MLLW) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-22 | 04:41 | High | 4.038 ft |
| 2026-09-22 | 11:00 | Low | 0.671 ft |
| 2026-09-22 | 17:21 | High | 4.891 ft |
| 2026-09-22 | 23:42 | Low | 0.802 ft |
| 2026-09-23 | 05:31 | High | 4.222 ft |
| 2026-09-23 | 11:51 | Low | 0.604 ft |
| 2026-09-23 | 18:07 | High | 4.935 ft |
| 2026-09-24 | 00:26 | Low | 0.584 ft |
| 2026-09-24 | 06:22 | High | 4.444 ft |
| 2026-09-24 | 12:40 | Low | 0.559 ft |
| 2026-09-24 | 18:51 | High | 4.965 ft |
| 2026-09-25 | 01:09 | Low | 0.38 ft |
| 2026-09-25 | 07:09 | High | 4.689 ft |
| 2026-09-25 | 13:29 | Low | 0.534 ft |
| 2026-09-25 | 19:33 | High | 4.965 ft |
| 2026-09-26 | 01:53 | Low | 0.21 ft |
| 2026-09-26 | 07:55 | High | 4.931 ft |
| 2026-09-26 | 14:20 | Low | 0.519 ft |
| 2026-09-26 | 20:15 | High | 4.919 ft |
Water-level predictions only — not exact current/slack timing. The interval between a high and the following low is labeled an approximate falling-tide / likely-ebb-tendency window.
Moon & Solunar Periods
Major/minor periods follow traditional solunar theory (moon overhead/underfoot and moonrise/moonset) — a angling tradition dating to the 1920s, not a scientifically validated predictor of fish activity. The moon phase and times themselves are exact astronomical calculations.
Quick-reference card for your Trophy
This is the table I'd keep handy.
Significant seas / dominant period
| 1-2 ft @ >=8 sec | Excellent |
| 1-2 ft @ 6-8 sec | Good |
| ~2 ft @ 5-6 sec | Okay, noticeable chop |
| 2-3 ft @ 7-10 sec | Reasonable |
| 2-3 ft @ 5-6 sec | Choppy, but runnable |
| 2-3 ft @ <=4 sec | Rough, short period |
| ~3 ft @ >=8 sec | Manageable swell, conditions matter |
| >=3 ft @ <=5 sec | Stay inside |
| 3-4 ft @ <=6 sec | No-go |
| 4-5 ft @ >=9 sec | Manageable swell, conditions matter |
| 4-5 ft @ <9 sec | No-go |
| >=5 ft | No-go (absolute limit) |
Sustained wind
| 0-5 kt | Ideal |
| >5-10 kt | Good |
| >10-15 kt | Pay attention |
| >15-20 kt | Usually stay inside |
| >20 kt | No-go |
Intentionally conservative recreational guidelines for this specific boat — not manufacturer limits or a guarantee of vessel safety.