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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
805 AM EDT WED APR 15 2026
TO: SUBSCRIBERS – FAMILY OF SERVICES AND NOAA WEATHER WIRE
SERVICE AND OTHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PARTNERS, USERS AND
EMPLOYEES
FROM: RICK NEUHERZ - SENIOR SERVICE HYDROLOGIST
SUBJECT: UPGRADING RIVER FORECAST SERVICES FROM FLOOD-ONLY TO
DAILY ISSUANCE FOR SELECTED LOCATIONS IN SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA
AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA
EFFECTIVE APRIL 28, 2026, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS)
WILMINGTON OFFICE, IN COORDINATION WITH THE SOUTHEAST RIVER
FORECAST CENTER (SERFC), WILL UPGRADE HYDROLOGIC SERVICES FOR 6
RIVER GAUGE LOCATIONS. SERVICES WILL TRANSITION FROM “FLOOD-ONLY”
FORECASTS TO DAILY ROUTINE FORECASTS.
PREVIOUSLY, THESE LOCATIONS WERE DESIGNATED AS FLOOD-ONLY
FORECAST POINTS, MEANING THE FIVE-DAY FORECAST WAS ONLY PROVIDED
BY SERFC HYDROLOGISTS WHEN RIVER LEVELS WERE EXPECTED TO RISE NEAR
OR ABOVE THE FLOOD STAGE AT EACH SITE. FOLLOWING INQUIRIES FROM
PARTNERS AND USERS, THE SERFC WILL NOW PROVIDE DAILY, YEAR-ROUND
FORECAST INFORMATION FOR THESE SITES.
THIS TRANSITION PROVIDES SEVERAL BENEFITS:
* ENHANCED SITUATIONAL AWARENESS: PROVIDES VALUABLE DATA DURING
DROUGHT AND/OR LOW FLOW CONDITIONS, NOT JUST FLOOD EVENTS.
* RECREATIONAL SAFETY: SUPPORTS ENHANCED SERVICES FOR
RECREATIONAL INTERESTS AND PUBLIC SAFETY ALONG RIVER REACHES.
* CONSISTENCY: DAILY MODELING OF POINTS SITUATED BETWEEN OR ABOVE
EXISTING DAILY FORECAST LOCATIONS ENSURES A MORE SEAMLESS
HYDROLOGIC PROFILE ACROSS THE AREA.
THE ENHANCED FORECASTS WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO THE EXISTING SERFC
WORKFLOW AND DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THE LOCAL NWS OFFICE TO THE
ONLINE NATIONAL WATER PREDICTION SERVICE (WATER.NOAA.GOV).
NOTE: NOT ALL RIVER FORECAST POINTS WILL TRANSITION TO A DAILY
FORECAST FREQUENCY. IN SOME CASES, A RIVER GAUGE LOCATION WILL
REMAIN "FLOOD-ONLY" DUE TO LOW-FLOW MODELING COMPLEXITIES SUCH AS
THOSE THAT ARE TIDAL AT LOW FLOWS.
THE FOLLOWING GAUGES WILL TRANSITION TO DAILY ISSUANCE. SITES ARE
LISTED BY FORECAST GROUPING, NAME, NWS ID, AND USGS OR STATE ID.
PEE DEE FORECAST GROUP
* BLACK CREEK NEAR QUINBY | BCRS1 | USGS 02130980
* LUMBER RIVER AT NICHOLS | NICS1 | USGS 02134900
* WACCAMAW RIVER AT FREELAND | FREN7 | USGS 02109500
* WACCAMAW RIVER AT LONGS | LNGS1 | USGS 02110500
CAPE FEAR FORECAST GROUP
* CAPE FEAR RIVER AT WILLIAM O HUSKE L&D | STPN7 | USGS 02105500
* CAPE FEAR RIVER AT ELIZABETHTOWN | ELZN7 | NC 30075
FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING THESE CHANGES, PLEASE CONTACT:
RICK NEUHERZ
SENIOR SERVICE HYDROLOGIST, NWS WILMINGTON NC
EMAIL: RICHARD.NEUHERZ@NOAA.GOV
OFFICE PHONE: 910-762-4289
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