Columbia tides today
- Tide now 0.4 ft ↑ rising · high 12:37 am (0.5 ft)
- Best time tomorrow 3:20–6:20 pm average day · 5/10
- Beach tomorrow 11:00 am–1:00 pm Fair beach day · 5/10
- Waves · water 0.8 ft · 64 °F smooth · 2.7 s from the northeast
- Wind · air 6 mph · 65 °F from the NE, gusts 17 · partly cloudy
- Sun 7:24 am–6:13 pm 10 h 50 min of daylight
- Moon 91% · 7:57 pm waning gibbous · rises at 7:57 pm
- Diving tomorrow 9:50 am–12:50 pm great day · 10/10
Today in Columbia there are high tides at 12:07 am (0.5 ft) and 1:13 pm (0.5 ft) and low tides at 7:00 am and 7:25 pm. Right now the tide is rising toward the high tide at 12:37 am. The sun rises at 7:24 am and sets at 6:13 pm: 10 h 50 min of daylight. The moon is 91% illuminated (waning gibbous) and rises at 7:57 pm. Major solunar periods run from 1:40 am to 3:40 am and from 2:12 pm to 4:12 pm. The next spring tides arrive from October 26 to 28. The sea is smooth, with 0.8 ft waves. There's a light breeze from the northeast (6 mph). Partly cloudy, 65 °F.
Fishing in Columbia today
Best time to fish
Solunar activity today: medium- Major period 2:12–4:12 pm
- Steady pressure (30.30 inHg), light offshore wind (11 mph) and calm sea (1.1 ft waves)
- Waning gibbous: a bit more activity than at the quarters
Your day at a glance
The best window, 2:10 pm to 4:10 pm, lines up with a major period. Also good from 1:40 am to 3:40 am, with a major period. Also good from 7:00 am to 8:00 am, with sunrise.
Species with the most records nearby: spot, longfin inshore squid, Atlantic croaker and weakfish. October is one of the months when these are seen most: spot and longfin inshore squid. What you can catch
The tide barely moves in Columbia, so it doesn't count in the rating. How it works · Next 7 days · Fishing rules
Beach day in Columbia
Is it a beach day?
3 good hours- Sunny
- Feels like 71 °F: mild
- Calm for swimming: 0.9 ft waves
- UV 4 (moderate): SPF 30 sunscreen
- Moderate offshore wind (13 mph): it blows floats and inflatables out to sea
- Water at 64 °F (cold)
Today, hour by hour
- Swimming Calm · 0.9 ft
0.9 ft waves: calm for swimming. Low rip current risk. Always follow the lifeguard's flags.
- Water 64 °F
Cold: ease in slowly.
- Sun & sunscreen UV 4 · SPF 30
Max UV 4 (moderate): SPF 30 sunscreen, reapplied every 2 hours.
- Wind 13 mph
Moderate offshore wind (13 mph). Skip the inflatables: offshore wind carries them out to sea.
- Tide & sand
Columbia has almost no tide: the beach stays the same all day.
The best window, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, brings sunshine and a calm sea, though with moderate offshore wind.
We don't have data on jellyfish, sargassum or beach closures: ask the lifeguard or check with the local beach authority. How it works · The next 7 days
Beaches near Columbia
We don't know of any named beaches within 6.2 mi of Columbia.
Missing one? Beaches come from OpenStreetMap: you can add it there. Add or fix on OpenStreetMap
Beaches and amenities: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Webcams near Columbia
Webcams provided by windy.com — add a webcam
Tides in Columbia
Today's high and low tides
- ▲ High tide 12:07 am 0.5 ft
- ▼ Low tide 7:00 am 0.2 ft
- ▲ High tide 1:13 pm 0.5 ft
- ▼ Low tide 7:25 pm 0.3 ft
↑ Rising The tide is rising. 3 h 24 min to high tide at 12:37 am.
In Columbia the astronomical tide is very small: about 0.3 ft between high and low tide. Here the sea level is moved mostly by wind and air pressure (storm surge), which can raise or lower it more than the tide itself.
2026 extremes: the highest tide of the year is on September 10 (0.6 ft) and the lowest, on January 18 (-0.2 ft).
Heights above mean lower low water (MLLW), the zero of US nautical charts. Astronomical prediction: wind and air pressure can raise or lower the water by a few inches, and more in a storm. Not for navigation. MLLW
Tide and solunar table · this week
| Day | Sun | Tide 1 | Tide 2 | Tide 3 | Tide 4 | Moon | Major periods | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today, Wed 28 | 7:24 am · 6:13 pm | High tide 12:07 am · 0.5 ft | Low tide 7:00 am · 0.2 ft | High tide 1:13 pm · 0.5 ft | Low tide 7:25 pm · 0.3 ft | 91% | Major periods 1:40 am · 2:12 pm | Medium |
| Thu 29 | 7:25 am · 6:12 pm | High tide 12:37 am · 0.5 ft | Low tide 7:42 am · 0.2 ft | High tide 2:03 pm · 0.5 ft | Low tide 8:15 pm · 0.3 ft | 84% | Major periods 2:44 am · 3:16 pm | Medium |
| Fri 30 | 7:26 am · 6:11 pm | High tide 1:06 am · 0.5 ft | Low tide 8:28 am · 0.2 ft | High tide 2:56 pm · 0.5 ft | Low tide 9:11 pm · 0.4 ft | 74% | Major periods 3:49 am · 4:20 pm | Medium |
| Sat 31 | 7:27 am · 6:10 pm | High tide 1:38 am · 0.5 ft | Low tide 9:18 am · 0.2 ft | High tide 3:53 pm · 0.5 ft | Low tide 10:13 pm · 0.4 ft | 63% | Major periods 4:51 am · 5:20 pm | Medium |
| Sun 1 | 6:27 am · 5:09 pm | High tide 1:16 am · 0.4 ft | Low tide 9:15 am · 0.2 ft | High tide 3:54 pm · 0.5 ft | Low tide 10:19 pm · 0.4 ft | Last quarter | Major periods 4:49 am · 5:16 pm | Medium |
| Mon 2 | 6:28 am · 5:08 pm | High tide 2:13 am · 0.4 ft | Low tide 10:17 am · 0.2 ft | High tide 4:57 pm · 0.5 ft | Low tide 11:27 pm · 0.3 ft | 41% | Major periods 5:41 am · 6:06 pm | Medium |
| Tue 3 | 6:29 am · 5:07 pm | High tide 4:06 am · 0.4 ft | Low tide 11:20 am · 0.2 ft | High tide 5:58 pm · 0.4 ft | — | 30% | Major periods 6:30 am · 6:53 pm | Medium |
▲ high tide · ▼ low tide · heights above MLLW. Major periods: start time; they last 2 hours. Activity: based on the moon phase and the solunar periods.
Where this tide comes from
Tides from the Manns Harbor station (NOAA), 27 mi from Columbia. Times and heights are its predictions.
Station data attribution: Slackwater database (https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database)
The sea at Columbia
Sea stateSea state: smooth
The waves you may find
- Most commonMost common0.4 ft
- Significant0.8 ft
- Highest expectedHighest1.7 ft
One wave in seven is higher than the significant height, and about 3 times a day one reaches 1.7 ft. Before heading out, expect waves of up to 1.7 ft.
Wind on the coast and offshore
Cross-offshore wind. The coast faces northwest and the wind comes off the land at an angle: calmer water near the shore, and bait and boats drift out to sea.
Wave height, next 7 daysWaves, next 7 days
Waves stay much the same all week. The biggest waves arrive on Wednesday 28: 1.1 ft with a period of 3 s, from the northeast (smooth).
Water temperature
Water temperature →Water temperature changes how fish behave: in very cold or very warm water they feed less. The water warms over the next few days: about 64.8 °F by Tuesday 3.
Water colder than normal for late October (−2.1 °F).
Satellite: NASA MUR (JPL MUR MEaSUREs, PO.DAAC), doi:10.5067/GHGMR-4FJ04. Sources and licenses
Water temperature →Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 9:13 pm (local time).
Nearest buoy
This is a real measurement of the sea, not a forecast. Data from station 44056, NOAA National Data Buoy Center (public domain).
Diving in Columbia today
Diving and snorkeling today
Likely visibility: good- 0.2 ft swell at 3 s from the east-northeast: barely any surge
- Light cross-shore wind (10 mph)
- 0.0 mph current toward the east, weak (model)
- Sun high: more light underwater
- Slack water today: none; the tide doesn't count here
- Likely visibility: good. The sea has been calm and there's been little rain. Based on the last 24 hours of data.
- Water at 63.5 °F: a 7 mm wetsuit, with hood and booties.
- Snorkeling: good, calm sea and light wind.
- Night dive: dark from 6:40 pm. Waning gibbous (91%), rising at 7:57 pm: a bright night.
Your diving day at a glance
The best window, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm, combines little swell, light wind, weak current and the sun high. Also good from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm, with little swell, light wind, weak current and the sun high.
In Columbia the tide barely moves the water, so there's no slack to wait for: swell, wind and current are what count.
Never dive alone and check with the local dive shop: this rating is a guide, not a substitute for a professional.
Dive sites, wrecks and dive shops nearby
We have no dive sites, dive shops or wrecks on record within 12 mi of Columbia.
If you know one, you can add it to OpenStreetMap and it will show up here after the next update. Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Sites: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Weather in Columbia
Now in Columbia
- Low / high
- 60 / 71 °F
- Rain
- 0.00 in · 6%
- Clouds
- 58%
- Humidity
- 86%
- Dew pointDew point
- 61 °F
- Visibility
- 9.3 mi
- UV indexUV
- 0 · low
- Air qualityAir
- Moderate · 51
- Saharan dust
- No
Pressure and fishing
- ↗ RisingRising Anglers say fish bite less for a while
- → SteadySteady · now Anglers expect normal activity
- ↘ FallingFalling Anglers say fish feed more before the change
Steady now (+0.01 inHg in 3 hours). Over the next 48 hours: −0.11 inHg. Steady pressure: anglers expect normal activity. Fast changes, either way, tend to affect fishing.
Today, hour by hourHour by hour
Bars: mean wind. Dashed line: gusts. Arrows point where the wind blows to.
| Time | 12:00 am | 3:00 am | 6:00 am | 9:00 am | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 6:00 pm | 9:00 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky | Clear | Clear | Clear | Mainly clear | Mainly clear | Clear sky | Clear sky | Mainly clear |
| Temperature | 61° | 60° | 62° | 65° | 71° | 71° | 67° | 65° |
| Wind (mph) | 4 NNE | 5 NNE | 5 NNE | 5 NE | 11 NE | 11 NE | 7 NE | 6 NE |
| Gusts | 15 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
| Waves | 0.7 ft | 0.7 ft | 0.7 ft | 0.7 ft | 0.9 ft | 1.1 ft | 1.0 ft | 0.8 ft |
| Rain | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in |
- 9:00 pm 65° 6 NE 0.8 ft
- 12:00 am 63° 4 ENE 0.7 ft
- 3:00 am 62° 4 ENE 0.5 ft
- 6:00 am 61° 5 ENE 0.4 ft
- 9:00 am 64° 4 E 0.4 ft
- 12:00 pm 73° 6 ENE 0.4 ft
- 3:00 pm 72° 7 ENE 0.4 ft
- 6:00 pm 67° 5 ENE 0.4 ft
Next 14 daysComing days
| Day | Sky | Low / high | Max wind | Max wave |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today · 28 | 60 / 71 °F | 13 mph NE | 1.1 ft | |
| Thu 29 | 59 / 73 °F | 7 mph ENE | 0.7 ft | |
| Fri 30 | 56 / 75 °F | 3 mph N | 0.3 ft | |
| Sat 31 | 56 / 65 °F | 11 mph NE | 1.0 ft | |
| Sun 1 | 56 / 68 °F | 9 mph ENE | 0.5 ft | |
| Mon 2 | 59 / 69 °F | 9 mph ENE | 0.3 ft | |
| Tue 3 | 60 / 71 °F | 12 mph NE | 0.9 ft | |
| Wed 4 | 61 / 73 °F | 11 mph ENE | 0.7 ft | |
| Thu 5 | 61 / 72 °F | 10 mph E | 0.8 ft | |
| Fri 6 | 59 / 70 °F | 9 mph W | 0.7 ft | |
| Sat 7 | 55 / 67 °F | 7 mph NW | 1.1 ft | |
| Sun 8 | 53 / 64 °F | 14 mph N | 1.8 ft | |
| Mon 9 | 53 / 64 °F | 14 mph N | 1.8 ft | |
| Tue 10 | 51 / 68 °F | 9 mph NNE | 1.2 ft |
- Thu 29 Overcast 59° / 73° 0.7 ft
- Fri 30 Clear sky 56° / 75° 0.3 ft
- Sat 31 Overcast 56° / 65° 1.0 ft
- Sun 1 Overcast 56° / 68° 0.5 ft
- Mon 2 Overcast 59° / 69° 0.3 ft
- Tue 3 Partly cloudy 60° / 71° 0.9 ft
- Wed 4 Overcast 61° / 73° 0.7 ft
Each day comes from the best model covering this spot: regional ones first (HRRR and NBM in the U.S., AROME, ICON-EU), then ECMWF; day 16, NOAA GFS. Waves: Météo-France up to day 10, then ECMWF WAM, coarser and further offshore.
- The models They agree · high confidence for the next few days. See the models →
- Outlook Next few weeks, compared with normal: a bit warmer and a bit wetter. See the outlook →
- Normal Today, warmer than normal for late October (+1.9 °F; normal high: 70 °F). Climate by month →
Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 9:13 pm (local time).
The sun in Columbia
Sunrise and sunset
- First light 6:27 am
- Full dark 7:10 pm
- Civil dawn 6:57 am
- Civil dusk 6:40 pm
- Solar noon 12:49 pm (41° high)
- Daylight 10 h 50 min (−2 min)
- Evening golden hour 5:38 pm
- Full dark 7:10 pm
Golden hour and the day-night map
Today the sun is 92,354,688 mi away and looks 32′ 11″ across.
The moon in Columbia
Moon phase and position
Today the moon is 226,429 mi away and looks 32′ 47″ across.
Solunar periods
Today's activity: medium- 1:40–3:40 am Major · the moon passes overhead · high activity
- 2:12–4:12 pm Major · the moon passes underfoot · high activity
- 9:53–10:53 am Minor · moonset · medium activity
- 7:27–8:27 pm Minor · moonrise · medium activity
According to solunar theory, fish feed more when the moon passes overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 h) and when it rises or sets (minor periods, 1 h). It works best around new and full moon.
Upcoming moon phases
2026 moon calendar →- Last quarter Sun, Nov 1 · 3:29 pmNov 1 in 4 days
- New moon Mon, Nov 9 · 2:03 amNov 9 in 12 days
- First quarter Tue, Nov 17 · 6:48 amNov 17 in 20 days
- Full moon Tue, Nov 24 · 9:54 amNov 24 in 27 days
Perigee on October 28, 226,426 mi away, coinciding with the spring tides from October 26 to 28: they will be stronger than usual.
Where to fish in Columbia
Piers, ramps and tackle shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
Within 9.3 mi. A spot may be missing or closed. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Spots: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps.
Water depth
Shallow, gradualShallow, gradual bottom: 0 ft at 0.85 mi. Right off the beach it already drops to about 12 ft.
From the shoreline (800 ft from Columbia) out to sea, heading northwest.
How far from shore
- 16 ft deepnot within 0.85 mi
- 33 ft deepnot within 0.85 mi
- 66 ft deepnot within 0.85 mi
- 164 ft deepnot within 0.85 mi
For fishing, swimming and diving
- Shore fishing. About 12 ft of water 330 ft out: long casts help, and so does a rising tide, which brings fish closer in.
- Swimming. The bottom drops quickly near the shore and you are soon out of your depth. Keep an eye on kids and weak swimmers.
- Diving. Shallow: the water doesn't reach 33 ft within 0.85 mi. For deeper dives, take a boat farther out.
Inside bays, estuaries and harbors the bottom changes a lot from spot to spot (channels and shoals): use this only as a rough guide. There is land ahead (an island, a headland or the far shore) 0.85 mi out. Where the bottom comes up to the surface there are shoals, rocks or an islet next to the profile.
Source: NOAA U.S. Coastal Relief Model (public domain), cells of about 300 ft; depth below mean sea level. For reference only: not for navigation or anchoring.
Tides near ColumbiaTides nearby
- Manns Harbor27 mi
- Engelhard32 mi
- Kitty Hawk32 mi
- Manteo32 mi
- Duck33 mi
- Southern Shores33 mi
- Kill Devil Hills33 mi
- Coinjock34 mi
- Wanchese35 mi
- Nags Head35 mi
Columbia at a glance
- Town or city of about 832 people. Coordinates: 35.918° N, 76.252° W.
- It is 104 mi northeast of Jacksonville, the main place in North Carolina. The sun rises 3 min earlier and sets 6 min earlier than in Jacksonville.
- The nearest tide station, Manns Harbor, is 27 mi to the east.
- Its coast faces northwest.
Questions about ColumbiaQuestions
What time is sunset today in Columbia?
At 6:13 pm. There is light until the end of civil twilight, at 6:40 pm.
What time is sunrise tomorrow in Columbia?
At 7:25 am. First light comes at 6:28 am.
What phase is the moon today?
Waning gibbous, 91% illuminated. New moon on Mon, Nov 9 · 2:03 am.
When are the next spring tides?
From October 26 to 28, together with the lunar perigee: they will be stronger than usual.
What are today's solunar periods?
Major 1:40–3:40 am, Minor 9:53–10:53 am, Major 2:12–4:12 pm, Minor 7:27–8:27 pm. Today's activity is medium.
What's the weather like today in Columbia?
Partly cloudy, from 60 °F to 71 °F, with a light breeze from the northeast (6 mph) and a 6% chance of rain.
How is the sea today in Columbia?
Smooth (Douglas 2): 0.8 ft waves with a period of 2.7 s from the northeast. The water is 64.0 °F.
When is the best time to visit Columbia?
The best time to visit Columbia is from April to June and in October: highs of 71 °F to 85 °F, about 10 rainy days a month and 7 hours of sunshine a day.
Can I use this data for navigation?
No. These are predictions for fishing and leisure; for navigation, use the official publications.
Where this data comes from
Tide: NOAA station Manns Harbor (public domain), via Slackwater database. Sun and moon: our own calculation with astronomy-engine. Places: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Coastline: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).