Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I want to go to the beach during the week of October 17th. Being from Maryland, I'm not familiar with the weather at the NC beaches (Wrightsville, Topsail, etc.) during that time of year. I did some research and it said average air and water temperatures are in the mid-70s. This *sounds* warm enough to still swim in the ocean but I'm not sure... Is mid-October typically still warm enough to enjoy the water?
We spent a weekend at Holden Beach in October a few years ago, and it was great! The beach was pretty sparsely populated, and we had a lot of room to ourselves. The water was pretty empty, but also pretty brisk. However, I've been in Lake Erie in April, so the Carolina coast in October is no big deal.
In fact, we make it a point to do our beach trips in spring and fall, well off of peak season, but just fine for a couple of transplants from the snowy north.
October is a WONDERFUL time at the NC beaches--the water is still warm, weather is nice, maybe even summery sometimes, and it's off-season, so it's not crowded. There are some weekends when they have Seafood Festivals, which would be a little more crowded, but also something to "do", but in general, once you're a couple of weeks past Labor Day, the crowds are greatly diminished and it's much more relaxing.
I spent a long weekend at Bald Head Island in mid-October a few years ago. The weather was gorgeous, although I don't recall doing any swimming in the ocean. We did sit on the beach and kayak on the marsh. One day was a bit cool and rainy, but the others were glorious and pleasantly warm. The island was a bit more peaceful than it is during the peak of the summer. The downside was that with most tourists gone, some of the restaurants had closed for the season.
That is a fabulous time to go to the beach. May be too chilly to swim but the temperature will be fine for sitting on the the beach and the fishing is better then than in summer, too...if you like that.
As others have said, barring a hurricane it is a great time of year. The farther south you go, the warmer the water will be. I recall going to the beach in late-October one year and the ocean temp was still around 70F! I spent many hours swimming, surfing, etc...! That said, I swim now at the northern OBX in May in water temps around 60F, so I guess it all depends on your tolerance for cool water temps.
Late Sept to Mid October is my favorite time of the year at the beach.
Keep in mind that some off shore storms can also affect the water temperatures. But that just means you have more shells to hunt for.
Our family loves the Carolina Coast in October. Early the air temp and water temp are terrific. The air temp lowers a bit by the time you get to the middle of the month. The more hurricanes we have this year the cooler the waters will become.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
