High winds, coastal flooding possible on Saturday

A strong cold front that will move through the Outer Banks on Saturday will have the potential to bring severe weather, very strong winds, and minor coastal flooding, per a Thursday morning update from the National Weather Service (NWS) Newport / Morehead City office.

Strong wind gusts up to 45-55 mph are expected along the coast, and minor flooding is possible, especially along the soundside of the Outer Banks, from Saturday morning through Saturday evening. Isolated tornadoes are also possible, and there is the potential for scattered power outages.

A Gale Watch is in effect for the Pamlico Sound for southwest winds of 25 to 35 kt with gusts up to 45 kt, becoming northwest Saturday night, and resulting in extremely rough waters.

For more information on the local forecast, visit www.weather.gov/mhx for weather information, or the National Weather Service office in Newport / Morehead City’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NWSMoreheadCity/.