Coastal Flood Watch upgraded to Coastal Flood Warning for Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands

A Coastal Flood Watch and High Wind Watch have been upgraded to a Coastal Flood Warning and High Wind Warning for Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands, per an update from the National Weather Service (NWS) Newport/Morehead City office.

The Coastal Flood Warning is in effect from 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, December 17, until 4:00 p.m. on Monday, December 18. The High Wind Warning is in effect from Sunday at 8:00 a.m. until midnight. A Gale Warning and High Surf Advisory have also been issued.

Southeast winds of 30-40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph are currently forecast for Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands, with peak wind gusts occurring on Sunday afternoon and evening.

Along the Pamlico Sound, moderate to major soundside flooding of 2-4 feet above ground level is possible from Ocracoke to Frisco, and 3-4 feet of soundside flooding is possible from Buxton to Oregon Inlet. Rapid water level rises along the soundside are most likely to occur overnight on Sunday through early Monday morning.

Up to 4 feet of ocean overwash is also forecast along the Outer Banks, particularly from late Sunday into early Monday.

Per the NWS, significant overwash should be expected, potentially impacting vulnerable sections of N.C. Highway 12 on Hatteras Island, as well as soundside roads from Hatteras to Duck.

In addition to coastal flooding driven by the high winds, the forecast also includes periods of heavy rain of 2-3 inches through Sunday night, as well as large, dangerous surf and beach erosion for all areas of the Outer Banks.

These conditions may make travel difficult and unsafe—especially overnight on Sunday – as the wind direction switches from the southeast to the southwest, increasing the risk of soundside flooding of vulnerable roads.

Residents and visitors at oceanfront locations where there is no protective dune should be prepared to protect property and relocate before structures become surrounded by ocean water. Those who are located on the soundfront could see rapidly rising water levels as the wind shifts during the early morning hours of Monday, December 18.

Actions to protect property should be completed as early as possible but well before sunset on Sunday, December 17. Protective actions to consider include:

• moving vehicles away from the shoreline
• stowing outdoor property (including holiday decorations)
• moving personal possessions off the ground in areas that routinely flood

Be Prepared:

To receive National Weather Service alerts, create an OBX Alerts user profile at www.OBXAlerts.com and select the National Weather Service watch and warning lists or download the FEMA mobile app and select “Dare, NC” as your primary location.

For updates regarding road conditions, please visit DriveNC.gov and follow North Carolina Department of Transportation and NCDOT NC 12 on Facebook. The Dare County Sheriff’s Office also shares local road condition updates on their Facebook page.

To sign up to receive alerts if water levels in your area begin to rise due to storm surge, visit www.FIMAN.NC.gov and select the flood gauge(s) located in the waterway you’d like to monitor in real-time.