N.C. Highway 12 is closed on northern Ocracoke Island, but open on Hatteras Island on Wednesday morning

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N.C. Highway 12 is temporarily closed on northern Ocracoke Island from the NPS Pony Pens to the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry terminal due to ocean overwash, per a 7:00 a.m. Wednesday update from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT).

“Our crews will work to clear and reopen the highway as soon as possible,” stated NCDOT in the update. “On Pea/Hatteras Islands, NC12 is open and passable with a layer of blown sand on the roadway and several areas of standing rainwater. Drive with extreme caution. Crews will be working to clean up the road throughout the day today.

“Secondary oceanside roads in and around Rodanthe received some minor ocean overwash and our crews will be out to clear those today.”

Soundside flooding was also reported as of 8:00 a.m. in Hatteras, Avon, and the Tri-Villages, with sound waters spilling onto N.C. Highway 12, particularly in Salvo. Travelers can avoid most of the flooded Salvo area by turning onto Colony Drive and/or Rampart Street.

School has been canceled for Wednesday, January 10, for all Dare County students.

While the threat of rain and thunderstorms has passed, windy conditions will continue this morning with gusts up to 45-50 mph still possible across the Outer Banks until noon. A Coastal Flood Warning remains in effect until 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, and the public can keep tabs on soundside water levels through www.FIMAN.NC.gov.

Another storm is also expected to impact the Outer Banks region late Friday into Saturday, and more details on the weekend storm will be available soon.

All Ocracoke Island ferry operations remain suspended as of Wednesday morning. To get notified of ferry delays or cancellations, sign up for text and/or email alerts via the N.C. Ferry System’s FINS system: www.ncdot.gov/fins.

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

For more information on the local weather 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/.