Coastal Flood Advisory extended until Tuesday for the Outer Banks

A Coastal Flood Advisory issued for the Outer Banks has been extended until Tuesday at 2:00 a.m., according to an update from the National Weather Service (NWS) Newport/Morehead City office.

Abnormally high tides peaking this weekend will produce additional rounds of coastal flooding, with 1-2 feet of above-ground-level flooding forecasted for oceanside areas of the Outer Banks from Ocracoke to Corolla.

High tides around noon on Sunday and 1 p.m. on Monday will have the highest impacts, according to the NWS, but lingering issues may last into Tuesday.

Tide levels will slowly fall next week, but building swell from a distant offshore low will continue to produce elevated water levels, especially north of Cape Hatteras in Buxton. Flooding impacts may be enhanced in areas with recently compromised dune structures.

On the soundside, up to one foot of flooding is also possible through Tuesday throughout the Outer Banks.

Minor ocean overwash was reported after Saturday morning’s 10:30 a.m. high tide on northern Ocracoke Island, northern Buxton, and on side roads in Rodanthe.

N.C. Highway 12 was open and passable on both Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands as of Saturday afternoon, however, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) issued a warning that a road closure on northern Ocracoke Island, (and corresponding Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry service suspension), may be possible on Saturday night.

“NC12 on Ocracoke remains open, although we did see ocean overwash in several places at high tide,” stated NCDOT in the Saturday update, which was published around noon. “The tide is coming down now, so we are planning to keep the highway open during daylight hours. HOWEVER, be aware that a nighttime closure is possible. Drive with EXTREME caution.”

Two homes in the Rodanthe area also fell on Friday, leading to debris washing ashore as far south as Avon. Click here for more information on the home collapses and ongoing cleanup efforts.

Localized ocean overwash should continue to be expected at known vulnerable spots during the next few high tide cycles, including the north end of Ocracoke Island, the north end of Buxton, and near the Pea Island Visitor Center.

The next high tide is around 10:50 p.m. on Saturday.

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 local water level forecasts from the NWS, visit https://water.noaa.gov/wfo/mhx
• 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.

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