Kayak Love

North Carolina · river

Tar River at Nc-581 near Spring Hope

USGS monitoring location. Launch access and paddling suitability have not been verified.

Weather comparison · not a safety rating

81

Mostly favorable

Weather score out of 100

Weather only. This is a monitoring station, not a verified launch. Access, hazards and suitable flow are unknown.

Weather observation: Mon, 19 Oct 2026 17:45:00 GMT.

River observation: Mon, 19 Oct 2026 17:15:00 GMT.

Page checked: Mon, 19 Oct 2026 17:47:27 GMT. Readings older than one hour are not used for the current score.

Wind

13 mph

gusting to 19 mph

Air temp

64°F

0% chance of rain

River flow

42.5 cfs

very low for this date

Weather outlook

Thursday · 85

  • Mon

    72

  • Tue

    56

  • Wed

    69

  • Thu

    85

    Best

  • Fri

    73

  • Sat

    68

  • Sun

    83

Compares forecast wind, air temperature and rain. Does not assess river flow, swell, currents, water temperature or launch access. All times are local to this location.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
1p1321
2p1319
3p1322
4p1221
5p1119
6p817
7p613
8p613
9p716
10p513
11p514
12a716

Is this flow normal for October 19?

Today's 42.5 cfs is 61% below the median for this date — which counts as very low water here.

The median flow on this date is 109 cfs, across 13 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind — 13 mph — elevated wind-19

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, and uses available public readings. We haven't verified where to put in, what the hazards are, or whether this stretch is legal or sensible to paddle. We'd rather say that than invent it. The links below are where to find out.

We also don't have a verified safe-flow range here, so the Paddle Score reflects weather only. Judge the flow number against local knowledge, not against our score.

Do your own homework

We show you live conditions. For local knowledge — where to put in, what the hazards are, whether it's worth the drive — here's where paddlers actually talk about this water. We don't vet these sources; check the dates and judge for yourself.

Nearby water

All paddling spots in North Carolina →