Coastal Flood Advisory in effect until Saturday night

A Coastal Flood Advisory is in effect until Saturday at 10:00 p.m. for Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands, per an update from the National Weather Service (NWS) Newport/Morehead City office.

“High astronomical tides will continue into this weekend, and despite our recent system moving away, we expect elevated water levels to continue for several more days,” said Roger Martin of the NWS Newport/Morehead City office on Wednesday.

“In light of this, we have issued a Coastal Flood Advisory for all oceanside locations from Onslow County north through Dare County. While not everyone will see flooding, the potential is there for up to 2 ft of inundation AGL, with water levels peaking during high tide Thursday [through] Saturday.”

Per the Coastal Flood Advisory, up to 2 feet of inundation above ground level is possible in some areas near shorelines and tidal waterways, resulting in an elevated threat of property damage, mainly around the times of high tide. The next high tide is around 9:15 p.m. on Thursday.

Dangerous rip currents are also expected to linger through the weekend. The most likely time for strong rip currents to occur is a couple hours either side of low tide, which will occur around 3 p.m. Thursday.

No additional overwash was reported on Wednesday or on Thursday morning, and N.C. Highway 12 remains open on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. However, some sand and standing water remain on the highway and side streets, and travelers should use caution and watch for North Carolina Department of Transportation vehicles as they continue to clear the roads.

A list of local Outer Banks resources for additional information is below.

• For information on the local forecast, visit weather.gov/mhx for general weather information, or the National Weather Service office in Newport/Morehead City’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NWSMoreheadCity/.
• 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.
• 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 rip current information and other beach hazards, sign up for text alerts from Dare County, ocean rescue agencies, and the National Weather Service by texting “OBXBeachConditions” to 77295.