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More than 150 rip current rescues in the first 4 days of summer in ENC, risk again high Tuesday

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston
Published June 25, 2024 at 6:22 AM EDT
Strong rip currents prompted lifeguards to pull hundreds of swimmers from the Atlantic Ocean in Virginia and northeastern North Carolina over the holiday weekend.
Victoria Oliva
/
NOAA
Strong rip currents prompted lifeguards to pull hundreds of swimmers from the Atlantic Ocean in Virginia and northeastern North Carolina over the holiday weekend.

There were a total of 152 water rescues during dangerous rip currents at the North Carolina coast between the official start of summer on Thursday and the end of the day on Sunday.

Officials with the National Weather Service say the majority were near Wilmington in New Hanover County and at Atlantic Beach in Carteret County.

On Sunday, the dangerous rip currents were not as severe and officials say just eight water rescues were reported in New Hanover County.

On Tuesday, there is again a risk of dangerous rip currents at ENC beaches.
Annette Weston
Annette is an award-winning journalist based in Eastern North Carolina. Her career includes professional stops across the Midwest, Pacific Northwest, and Southeast, recently culminating in a 2026 Region 8 Edward R. Murrow Award for Small Market Radio Best News Series for her work on the Camp Lejeune Justice Act Series. Guided by a passion for human-interest storytelling, she focuses on narratives that touch hearts and connect communities. A mother of four and grandmother of two, Annette enjoys reading and creating epic Halloween costumes in her spare time. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston