Every summer, someone shows up to Wrightsville Beach without checking the rip current flag. Someone else drives 45 minutes to Topsail and finds out dogs aren’t allowed until after 6pm. And somewhere out there, a photographer is missing golden hour because they didn’t know it started at 7:34. All because they didn’t check the Beach Report.
Sunny 103.7’s free daily Beach Report exists to fix all of that. Check it before you leave. It takes 30 seconds and covers everything.
What’s In The Beach Report
The report covers all three coastal counties every single day: New Hanover (Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach), Pender (Surf City, Topsail Beach), and Brunswick (Oak Island, Holden Beach, Ocean Isle Beach, Sunset Beach). Conditions vary between counties on the same afternoon, so it matters which beach you’re actually going to.
Rip Current Risk and Surf Height — Pulled daily from NWS Wilmington, with plain-language guidance on what it means for swimmers. If it’s sketchy, it’ll say so.
Best Beach Bet of the Day — One recommendation, based on weather, rain chance, and conditions across all three counties. Useful when the group can’t agree.
3-Day Forecast — Waves, wind, temperature, and rip current outlook so you can plan ahead instead of hoping for the best.
Tides and Golden Hour — Exact times for sunrise, sunset, high tide, low tide, and both golden hour windows. Mostly for photographers. Also for anyone who wants that one great photo without admitting they planned it.
Live Shark and Sea Turtle Tracker — Real-time OCEARCH data on tagged sharks and sea turtles spotted within 200 miles of Wilmington in the last 30 days. This information will not stop you from going in the water. It will give you something to talk about on the way home.
Dog Beach Rules — Summer restrictions vary by town and change seasonally. The report breaks it down beach by beach so you’re not turning around in the parking lot.
Live NWS Alerts — Beach hazard statements, thunderstorm watches, and active warnings displayed in real time. Know before you go.
What People Are Saying
“I checked it on a Tuesday morning before taking my kids to Carolina Beach and saw there was a moderate rip current warning for Brunswick County. We were originally going to Holden Beach. Changed our plans and had a great day. I tell everyone about this thing.” — Megan T., Wilmington
“The shark tracker alone is worth it. I showed my husband that a tagged white shark was 99 miles south of us and he talked about it for days. I don’t know what I expected.” — Sandra R., Leland
“I shoot sunrise sessions on the beach a few times a week. Having the golden hour window right there with the tide info saves me from checking four different apps. It’s the first thing I open in the morning.” — Josh M., Wilmington photographer
“We have two labs. The amount of times we’ve driven to a beach and found out dogs weren’t allowed until 6pm is embarrassing. This report has saved us from ourselves at least three times this summer.” — Derek and Carol B., Hampstead
It’s Free. Bookmark It.
No app. No sign-up. No subscription. The Sunny Beach Report updates every day throughout the summer, and it works great on your phone.
👉 Check today’s report before you head out.
Find us on Facebook.