Waves, North Carolina | |
|---|---|
 Location inDare County and the state ofNorth Carolina | |
| Coordinates:35°34′0″N75°28′6″W / 35.56667°N 75.46833°W /35.56667; -75.46833 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Dare |
| Named after | Wind waves |
| Area | |
• Total | 0.69 sq mi (1.78 km2) |
| • Land | 0.68 sq mi (1.75 km2) |
| • Water | 0.012 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 5 ft (1.5 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 172 |
| • Density | 254.8/sq mi (98.38/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EST) |
| ZIP code | 27982 |
| FIPS code | 37-71440 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1023135[2] |
Waves is anunincorporated community andcensus-designated place (CDP) inDare County,North Carolina, United States. It is onHatteras Island, part of North Carolina'sOuter Banks. As of the2010 census it had a population of 134.[3] Waves, along withRodanthe andSalvo, are part of the settlement of Chicamacomico.
The residents of Waves are governed by theDare County Board of Commissioners. Waves is part of District 4, along withAvon,Buxton,Frisco,Hatteras, Rodanthe and Salvo.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 172 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[4] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 169 | 98.26% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1 | 0.58% |
| Other/Mixed | 1 | 0.58% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 1 | 0.58% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 172 people, 24 households, and 13 families residing in the CDP.
The community was so named on account of waves at the beach.[6]
TheRasmus Midgett House was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 2009.[7]
The northern border of Waves is generally considered to be the ditch that runs under Highway 12 just south of Resort Rodanthe Drive. The southern border, separating Waves and Salvo, is more ambiguous. Long-time residents indicate various "official lines" separating the two. Formerly Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo were each served by their own post office. Today a single post office, located in Waves, serves the entire community and the former lines that separated the communities have become blurred.
The Waves area is dominated by campgrounds both large and small as well as numerous rental houses.
According to theTrewartha climate classification system, Waves, North Carolina has ahumid subtropical climate with hot and humid summers, cool winters and year-around precipitation (Cfak). Cfak climates are characterized by all months having an average mean temperature > 32.0 °F (> 0.0 °C), at least eight months with an average mean temperature ≥ 50.0 °F (≥ 10.0 °C), at least one month with an average mean temperature ≥ 71.6 °F (≥ 22.0 °C) and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. During the summer months in Waves, a cooling afternoonsea breeze is present on most days, but episodes of extreme heat and humidity can occur withheat index values ≥ 100 °F (≥ 38 °C). Waves is prone to hurricane strikes, particularly during theAtlantic hurricane season which extends from June 1 through November 30, sharply peaking from late August through September. During the winter months, episodes of cold and wind can occur withwind chill values < 10 °F (< -12 °C). Theplant hardiness zone in Waves is 8b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 17.2 °F (-8.2 °C).[8] The average seasonal (Dec-Mar) snowfall total is < 2 inches (< 5 cm), and the average annual peak innor'easter activity is in February.
| Climate data for Waves, NC (1981-2010 Averages) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 53.2 (11.8) | 54.8 (12.7) | 59.5 (15.3) | 66.2 (19.0) | 73.2 (22.9) | 80.4 (26.9) | 84.0 (28.9) | 83.6 (28.7) | 79.7 (26.5) | 72.1 (22.3) | 64.7 (18.2) | 57.0 (13.9) | 69.1 (20.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 46.3 (7.9) | 47.7 (8.7) | 52.5 (11.4) | 59.8 (15.4) | 67.3 (19.6) | 75.3 (24.1) | 79.2 (26.2) | 78.7 (25.9) | 74.9 (23.8) | 66.6 (19.2) | 58.5 (14.7) | 50.3 (10.2) | 63.2 (17.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 39.4 (4.1) | 40.6 (4.8) | 45.4 (7.4) | 53.3 (11.8) | 61.4 (16.3) | 70.3 (21.3) | 74.5 (23.6) | 73.9 (23.3) | 70.1 (21.2) | 61.0 (16.1) | 52.3 (11.3) | 43.7 (6.5) | 57.2 (14.0) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 4.57 (116) | 3.81 (97) | 4.11 (104) | 3.46 (88) | 3.70 (94) | 4.19 (106) | 5.18 (132) | 6.37 (162) | 5.98 (152) | 4.39 (112) | 4.14 (105) | 3.92 (100) | 53.82 (1,367) |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 69.9 | 69.5 | 67.9 | 70.0 | 73.1 | 76.8 | 78.9 | 77.6 | 74.6 | 70.7 | 71.7 | 70.0 | 72.6 |
| Averagedew point °F (°C) | 37.0 (2.8) | 38.2 (3.4) | 42.2 (5.7) | 50.0 (10.0) | 58.4 (14.7) | 67.5 (19.7) | 72.1 (22.3) | 71.1 (21.7) | 66.3 (19.1) | 56.8 (13.8) | 49.4 (9.7) | 40.9 (4.9) | 54.2 (12.3) |
| Source: PRISM[9] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Cape Hatteras, NC Ocean Water Temperature (27 S Waves) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 49 (9) | 46 (8) | 52 (11) | 59 (15) | 68 (20) | 74 (23) | 78 (26) | 80 (27) | 77 (25) | 70 (21) | 58 (14) | 55 (13) | 64 (18) |
| Source: NOAA[10] | |||||||||||||
According to theA. W. Kuchler U.S.potential natural vegetation types, Waves, North Carolina would have a dominant vegetation type ofLive oak/Sea OatsUniola paniculata (90) with a dominant vegetation form ofCoastalPrairie (20).[11]
Residents are zoned toDare County Schools. Zoned schools are Cape Hatteras Elementary School andCape Hatteras Secondary School.[12]
Cape Hatteras Elementary School -- All areas South of the Oregon Inlet Bridge[...]Cape Hatteras Secondary School -- All areas South of the Oregon Inlet Bridge
| Preceded by | Beaches of The Outer Banks | Succeeded by |
Municipalities and communities ofDare County, North Carolina,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Towns |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
