Marine Forecast
Illustrated map of Lake Norman

Marine forecast

Croatan and Roanoke Sounds, NC

current wind
6 kt SSW
Gusts
8 kt
Air
72°F
Water
70°F
72-hr peak
14 kt

Observed Tue 3:00 PM | AMZ231

Gusts now
8 kt
Air
72°F
Water
70°F
72-hr peak
14 kt

In brief

At 3:00 pm EDT on Oct 13, 2026, NDBC station ORIN7 (Oregon Inlet Marina, NC, 11 miles away) measured wind from the SSW at 6 kt, gusting to 8 kt. The NWS forecast for Croatan and Roanoke Sounds, NC issued at 2:07 pm EDT on Oct 13, 2026 reads, for tonight: “S winds 5 to 10 kt. Waves light chop.”

Source: National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC forecast; NDBC observations

Wind forecast · ktPeak 14 kt

05101520Wed 14Thu 15Fri 1605101520Wed 14Thu 15Fri 16
Sustained GustOct 13-16 | EDT

NWS marine forecast

PeriodForecast
TonightS winds 5 to 10 kt. Waves light chop.
WedSW winds 5 to 10 kt. Waves light chop.
Wed NightSW winds around 10 kt. Waves light chop.
ThuNW winds 5 to 10 kt, becoming NE in the afternoon. Waves light chop.
Thu NightNE winds 5 to 10 kt, becoming S after midnight. Waves light chop.
FriSW winds 10 to 15 kt. Waves a moderate chop.
Fri NightSW winds 25 to 30 kt, becoming NW after midnight. Gusts up to 35 kt. Waves very rough. A chance of showers.
SatN winds 20 to 25 kt. Waves rough.
Sat NightN winds 20 to 25 kt. Waves rough.
SunNE winds 15 to 20 kt, diminishing to 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Waves choppy, diminishing to a moderate chop in the afternoon.
Sun NightNE winds 5 to 10 kt. Waves light chop.

Issued Tue 2:07 PM by Newport/Morehead City NC (product CWFMHX).

TimeWindGustSeasWater
Tue 3:00 PM 6 kt SSW 8 kt — 70°F
Tue 2:54 PM 7 kt SSW 9 kt — 70°F
Tue 1:54 PM 6 kt SSW 7 kt — 70°F
Tue 12:54 PM 5 kt SSW 5 kt — 70°F
Tue 11:54 AM 5 kt WSW 6 kt — 70°F
Tue 10:54 AM 5 kt W 6 kt — 70°F
Tue 9:54 AM 3 kt WNW 4 kt — 69°F
Tue 8:42 AM 3 kt NW 4 kt — 69°F
Tue 7:54 AM 3 kt NW 4 kt — 69°F
Tue 6:54 AM 2 kt NW 4 kt — 70°F
Tue 5:54 AM 4 kt WNW 5 kt — 70°F
Tue 4:54 AM 3 kt WNW 4 kt — 70°F

Observed Tue 3:00 PM at NDBC buoy ORIN7 (Oregon Inlet Marina, NC), 10.7 miles away.

What is the marine forecast for Croatan and Roanoke Sounds today?

Tonight: S winds 5 to 10 kt. Waves light chop.

Is there a small craft advisory for Croatan and Roanoke Sounds?

No advisories, warnings or watches are in effect for NWS zone AMZ231 as of the last update on this page. Advisories can be issued at any time; check the current bulletin before leaving the dock.

What is the water temperature at Croatan and Roanoke Sounds?

The nearest buoy read 70°F (21°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 AMZ231, 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 ORIN7, 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.