Weather in Morehead City first week of August 2018

[MikeM_scuba]

Hi all. We are planning trip next week (end of July - beginning of August) to Morehead City to dive with Olympus and Discovery Scuba. Just checked the weather - it doesn't look good for next couple of weeks.
Question. Will they take divers to offshore wracks if weather calls for t-storms? How good is diving in rain over there? Does rain brings low visibility etc? Asking those hard core guys go taking trip there every year or couple times a year, and people who live/work there. Thanks

 

[seadweller]

I will be visiting my family next week in Kill Devil Hills and spoke to Mother
last night . They have been getting some afternoon thunderstorms but that
should not effect your diving . I would worry more about the wind than rain .
I would call the operator you plan on diving with as I am sure they have their
hand on the pulse of where to go or not to . The rain should not effect your
visibility on the deep wrecks . Enjoy your diving and be safe !
Sea Dwellers

 

[tomfcrist]

This weeken looks good for diving. Looks really good Monday and Tuesday...Wednesday looks decent...

 

[tomfcrist]

2-4 foot seas is the cutoff for most boats. If the forecast says 3-4’ or 4’...anticipate not going. 4’ doesn’t sound too big for a 65 foot boat, but it’s 4’ at 5 second intervals...that’s a rough ride.

I suggest using the marine forecast from NOAA as a baseline, and using the superforecast on windfinder 1 day out.

Bottom line, right now we are seeing almost 4’ today, tomorrow around 3’...Sunday 3’...Monday 2’...tuesday <2’ until the evening when the wind starts ramping up again.

Disclaimer: I’m usually right about sea states...but the above paragraph could be total garbage.

 

[Steve_C]

Keep in mind that a number like 3' is not the highest wave. It is some sort of weighted average. So a 4' day could have a few 5s. Rain by itself is usually not a factor. Rain or more importantly heavily overcast reduces the light so it is like diving at dusk. Bring a couple of lights. Wind direction is important also in terms of the more inshore stuff is divable.

This is NC. I dive out of Wrightsville Beach but I have seen days where the forecast was good and we started out and seas got rough and we went in closer to shore or the boat canceled. I have also seen days where the forecast was very iffy but there was a front passing through and the captain thought we might win and we had 1 ft seas and a gorgeous day diving while the wind shifted direction.