Water Temperature of the Cape Fear River in Wilmington, NC

Current Water Temperature

79.5°F

Measurement Time: Monday, May 25, 2026, 3:18 PM EDT

Today's Tides

 High: May 25, 5:40 AM, 4.4 ft
Low: May 25, 12:17 PM, -0.1 ft
 High: May 25, 6:16 PM, 4.8 ft

Temperature Locations

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Local Points of Interest

Dram Tree Park; Eagle Island

Cape Fear River

Station Name: Wilmington
Data Source: NOAA Tides and Currents

Elevation Above Sea Level: 0 feet

Sensor Depth: -3 feet

Nearest Address:
Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
Wilmington, NC 28451
New Hanover County

GPS Coordinates: 34.2275, -77.953611

Nearby Water Temperatures

Atlantic Ocean, Wrightsville Beach, NC (9.6 mi)
Atlantic Ocean, Wrightsville Beach, NC (14.9 mi)
Atlantic Ocean, Cape Fear, NC (35.1 mi)
Atlantic Ocean, Wrightsville Beach, NC (37.7 mi)
Atlantic Ocean, Sunset Beach, NC (40.3 mi)
Buck Creek, Longs, SC (47.7 mi)
Intracoastal Waterway, North Myrtle Beach, SC (47.9 mi)
Waccamaw River, Longs, SC (48.7 mi)
Intracoastal Waterway, North Myrtle Beach, SC (52 mi)
Intracoastal Waterway, North Myrtle Beach, SC (54.5 mi)
Waccamaw River, Conway, SC (60 mi)
Intracoastal Waterway, Myrtle Beach, SC (62.2 mi)
Crabtree Swamp, Conway, SC (67.2 mi)
Atlantic Ocean, Myrtle Beach, SC (68 mi)
Waccamaw River, Conway, SC (68.1 mi)

Weather for Wilmington, North Carolina

Current Weather

82.9°F
Partly cloudy
Partly cloudy
84.9°F
92.4°F
65%
SSW 12.3 mph
14.5 mph
87.2°F
69.1°F
0 in
75%
9 mi
1020 mbar
4.9

Five Day Weather Forecast

Patchy rain nearby
Mon
H: 89°F
L: 71°F
Patchy rain nearby
Tue
H: 86°F
L: 73°F
Patchy rain nearby
Wed
H: 89°F
L: 73°F
Patchy rain nearby
Thu
H: 89°F
L: 71°F
Patchy rain nearby
Fri
H: 84°F
L: 71°F

Air Quality

AQI: 1 - Good
PM2.5: 5.45 μg/m3
PM10: 7.55 μg/m3
Carbon Monoxide: 127.85 μg/m3
Nitrogen Dioxide: 2.95 μg/m3
Sulphur Dioxide: 1.45 μg/m3
Ozone: 49 μg/m3

Astronomical

Sunrise: 6:04 AM
Sun Transit: 1:08 PM
Sunset: 8:14 PM
Daylight: 14 hrs 11 mins
Moonrise: 3:12 PM
Moon Transit: 9:13 PM
Moonset: 2:42 AM
Moon Phase: First Quarter
Moon Illumination: 66.7%

Best Times for Fishing or Hunting

Major Periods

10:01 AM - 12:31 AM
8:43 PM - 11:13 PM

Minor Periods

2:42 PM - 4:12 PM
2:12 AM - 3:42 AM

Action Rating: 3 out of 5

Rip Current Statement issued May 25 at 2:40AM EDT until May 25 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wilmington NC

Effective: Mon May 25, 2026, 2:40 AM
Expires: Mon May 25, 2026, 8:00 PM

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected. A strong south to north longshore current expected. * WHERE...Coastal Pender and Coastal New Hanover Counties. * WHEN...From 6 AM EDT Monday through Monday evening. * IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water.

Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help.


Beach Hazards Statement issued May 25 at 4:16AM EDT until May 25 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Newport/Morehead City NC

Effective: Mon May 25, 2026, 4:16 AM
Expires: Mon May 25, 2026, 4:30 PM

* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents. * WHERE...All Eastern North Carolina beaches. * WHEN...From 8 AM EDT this morning through this evening. * IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The most likely time for strong rip currents to occur is a couple hours either side of low tide, which will occur around 9:45 AM this morning.

Life-threatening rip currents. If caught in a rip current, remain calm. Swim in a direction following the shoreline. If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current. If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help.
Monday, May 25, 2026

Weather Forecast

Patchy rain nearby
88.5°F
71.1°F
79.5°F
75%
0.05 in
72%
0%
13 mph
6.3


Air Quality

AQI: 1 - Good
PM2.5: 6.34 μg/m3
PM10: 9.02 μg/m3
Carbon Monoxide: 118.93 μg/m3
Nitrogen Dioxide: 2.82 μg/m3
Sulphur Dioxide: 1.43 μg/m3
Ozone: 51.4 μg/m3

Astronomical

Sunrise: 6:04 AM
Sun Transit: 1:08 PM
Sunset: 8:14 PM
Daylight: 14 hrs 11 mins
Moonrise: 3:12 PM
Moon Transit: 9:13 PM
Moonset: 2:42 AM
Moon Phase: First Quarter
Moon Illumination: 66.7%

Best Times for Fishing or Hunting

Major Periods

10:01 AM - 12:31 AM
8:43 PM - 11:13 PM

Minor Periods

2:42 PM - 4:12 PM
2:12 AM - 3:42 AM

Action Rating: 3 out of 5

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Weather Forecast

Patchy rain nearby
86.3°F
72.5°F
79.2°F
74%
0.02 in
82%
0%
14.3 mph
8.7


Air Quality

AQI: 1 - Good
PM2.5: 5.52 μg/m3
PM10: 7.58 μg/m3
Carbon Monoxide: 122.09 μg/m3
Nitrogen Dioxide: 2.98 μg/m3
Sulphur Dioxide: 1.46 μg/m3
Ozone: 50.84 μg/m3

Astronomical

Sunrise: 6:03 AM
Sun Transit: 1:08 PM
Sunset: 8:15 PM
Daylight: 14 hrs 12 mins
Moonrise: 4:11 PM
Moon Transit: 9:55 PM
Moonset: 3:06 AM
Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous
Moon Illumination: 76.9%

Best Times for Fishing or Hunting

Major Periods

10:43 AM - 1:13 PM
9:25 PM - 11:55 PM

Minor Periods

3:41 PM - 5:11 PM
2:36 AM - 4:06 AM

Action Rating: 2 out of 5

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Weather Forecast

Patchy rain nearby
89.1°F
72.9°F
79.1°F
76%
0.08 in
82%
0%
13.9 mph
9.8


Air Quality

AQI: 1 - Good
PM2.5: 6.15 μg/m3
PM10: 8.35 μg/m3
Carbon Monoxide: 128.41 μg/m3
Nitrogen Dioxide: 3.01 μg/m3
Sulphur Dioxide: 1.46 μg/m3
Ozone: 61.4 μg/m3

Astronomical

Sunrise: 6:03 AM
Sun Transit: 1:09 PM
Sunset: 8:16 PM
Daylight: 14 hrs 13 mins
Moonrise: 5:10 PM
Moon Transit: 10:38 PM
Moonset: 3:32 AM
Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous
Moon Illumination: 85.7%

Best Times for Fishing or Hunting

Major Periods

11:25 AM - 1:55 PM
12:00 AM - 12:00 AM

Minor Periods

4:40 PM - 6:10 PM
3:02 AM - 4:32 AM

Action Rating: 2 out of 5

Thursday, May 28, 2026

Weather Forecast

Patchy rain nearby
88.5°F
70.7°F
78.5°F
75%
0.07 in
89%
0%
10.3 mph
9.3


Air Quality

AQI: 1 - Good
PM2.5: 4.26 μg/m3
PM10: 4.74 μg/m3
Carbon Monoxide: 140.13 μg/m3
Nitrogen Dioxide: 3.02 μg/m3
Sulphur Dioxide: 1.45 μg/m3
Ozone: 69.2 μg/m3

Astronomical

Sunrise: 6:02 AM
Sun Transit: 1:09 PM
Sunset: 8:16 PM
Daylight: 14 hrs 14 mins
Moonrise: 6:09 PM
Moon Transit: 11:22 PM
Moonset: 4:00 AM
Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous
Moon Illumination: 92.7%

Best Times for Fishing or Hunting

Major Periods

12:09 AM - 2:39 PM
12:00 AM - 12:00 AM

Minor Periods

5:39 PM - 7:09 PM
3:30 AM - 5:00 AM

Action Rating: 2 out of 5

Friday, May 29, 2026

Weather Forecast

Patchy rain nearby
83.8°F
70.6°F
77.1°F
74%
0.02 in
86%
0%
11.6 mph
0.9


Air Quality

AQI: 1 - Good
PM2.5: 8.13 μg/m3
PM10: 8.4 μg/m3
Carbon Monoxide: 195.27 μg/m3
Nitrogen Dioxide: 5.64 μg/m3
Sulphur Dioxide: 2.19 μg/m3
Ozone: 66.31 μg/m3

Astronomical

Sunrise: 6:02 AM
Sun Transit: 1:09 PM
Sunset: 8:17 PM
Daylight: 14 hrs 15 mins
Moonrise: 7:09 PM
Moon Transit: 12:00 AM
Moonset: 4:31 AM
Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous
Moon Illumination: 97.4%

Best Times for Fishing or Hunting

Major Periods

12:00 AM - 12:00 AM
12:55 AM - 3:25 PM

Minor Periods

6:39 PM - 8:09 PM
4:01 AM - 5:31 AM

Action Rating: 3 out of 5

The times presented here are based upon the solunar theory, which is the idea that the movements of fish and other animals are affected by the location of the sun and moon. The major periods are believed to be the times of the greatest animal activity and occur when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot (lunar transits). The minor periods also see increased activity and occur when the moon is rising or setting. The strongest activity occurs during full or new moons, and the weakest during quarter or three quarter moons. This is indicated by the Action Rating.

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