Coastwatch Covers Deepfake Whales, the Art and Science of Weather Forecasting, and More

The Fall 2025 issue of Coastwatch magazine explores life at the Currituck Lighthouse in Corolla, the art and science of weather forecasting, A.I.-generated whale images, green stormwater solutions, and much more.

Inside the new issue:

Constant fluctuation is part of coastal life. To work and recreate safely, we have to be able to predict the weather — and “The Art and Science of Weather” offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes.

Hyper-realistic deepfake images are notorious for celebrity pranking, but the technology has serious scientific applications, too, thanks to the work of a former NC Space Grant research scholar who’s working to save North Atlantic right whales.

“Keeper of the Light” goes inside Meghan Agresto’s life atop the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, which celebrates its 150^th birthday this year.

Sightings of orcas are extremely rare, and “Killer Whales Swim NC Waters” reveals just what makes the Southeast’s orcas different.

“Coast to Coast” shows how North Carolina Sea Grant has led a national effort that matches passionate undergraduate students with the needs of coastal and Great Lakes states.

Biltmore Hills Park in Raleigh brought together a community around innovative solutions to reduce stormwater runoff for flood-prone Rochester Heights Creek, and this issue’s “Guide to Coastal Living” follows up with more stormwater tips and strategies for coastal communities.

Bland Simpson, the oft-honored voice of North Carolina’s coast, recounts bagging snakes in the early 1970s for The North Carolina Museum of Natural History in “Snake-Hunting One Summer.”

Reef fish caught in deeper waters may not survive catch and release because of pressure trauma from surfacing too quickly, but this issue’s “Hook, Line & Science” explains how to vent deepwater fish to return them safely.

Rip currents can sweep even powerful swimmers away from shore. Share the Rip Currents Safety Poster and save a life.

The Fall 2025 issue also includes updates on new projects on sharks, crabs, HABs, run-off, radon, resilience, real-time tech for stormwater ponds, land-based sensors for coastal flooding, and more.

North Carolina Sea Grant has published Coastwatch magazine since 1979. The Fall 2025 issue is available online and in print. 

Coastwatch will return online in January for the Winter 2026 issue and in April for the Spring 2026 issue, which will appear in print and online.

Visit: ncCoastwatch.org

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Much of the content in Coastwatch is available to republish at no cost. Email dmshaw@ncsu.edu. 

Recent awards.

Lead image: Hurricane Florence over the Atlantic, photographed by NASA.