OCEAN ISLE BEACH, NC – The National Weather Service (NWS) in Wilmington has issued a tornado warning for part of south central Brunswick County because a huge waterspout was seen off the coast of North Carolina on Thursday. The warning went into effect at 5:39 PM EDT and was supposed to last until 6:15 PM EDT. It was meant for Ocean Isle Beach, Holden Beach, and Varnamtown.
The NWS immediately told people to “TAKE COVER NOW!” since the waterspout’s circulation was traveling northeast toward land at about 20 mph. A WRAL forecaster on X (previously Twitter) confirmed the threat by saying, “A confirmed waterspout near Ocean Isle Beach could move ashore.” The TORNADO WARNING (in the red/purple polygon) is in effect until 6:15 PM on 8/14/25.
Getting to Know the Threat
A waterspout is a column of air that spins and forms above a body of water. A waterspout can turn into a full-blown tornado if it advances onto land, even though it is usually weaker than a tornado on land. The NWS said that the waterspout was confirmed by the public in this case. This meant that there was a risk of flying debris and possible damage to mobile homes, roofs, windows, automobiles, and trees.
The NWS has told people in the areas that are affected to find shelter in a basement or an internal room on the lowest floor of a strong building. If you are outside or in a mobile home, you should find the nearest large shelter to protect yourself from falling debris. The NWS gave a similar warning earlier this week, and this is the most recent in a string of severe weather events in the area.
The Emergency Alert System is being used to send out the warning. The NWS is encouraging people to call their Wilmington office if they see any evidence of damage, like hail, wind damage, or trees that have fallen. The waterspout was expected to reach Holden Beach at 5:45 PM EDT.