N.C. Highway 12 reopens between Rodanthe and Oregon Inlet; Additional ocean overwash possible this evening
N.C. Highway 12 has reopened between Rodanthe and Oregon Inlet on Hatteras Island as of Friday at 2:00 p.m.
The highway was closed Friday morning due to ocean overwash that breached the dune line near the Pea Island Visitor Center. Saltwater and sand remain on the highway and travelers are advised to slow down, use caution, and watch for North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) personnel as they continue to clear the road.
Additional ocean overwash is possible Friday evening, especially before and after high tide at approximately 6:45 p.m.
N.C. Highway remains closed on northern Ocracoke Island between the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry docks and the National Park Service pony pens. All Ocracoke Island ferry services are suspended due to inclement weather.
Overwash was also reported in northern Buxton and northern Rodanthe around Friday morning’s high tide between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.
An oceanfront home located at 23241 Surf Side Drive collapsed in northern Rodanthe overnight due to the ongoing coastal storm.
The Cape Hatteras National Seashore is also monitoring unoccupied threatened structures at G A Kohler Court and Sea Oats Drive, and the beach in front of Rodanthe is temporarily closed due to hazardous debris.
Soundside water levels appear to have peaked between Avon and Ocracoke at just below minor flood stage. A Coastal Flood Warning and High Surf Advisory remain in effect through this afternoon and evening for all of the Outer Banks.
According to SamWalkerOBXNews.com, the National Weather Service office in Newport/Morehead City has reduced their wind forecast slightly for Friday, but gusts near 55 mph remain possible along the beaches through this afternoon.
Sustained north-northeast winds of between 30 and 40 mph, with gusts near 50 mph at multiple locations were recorded early Friday. The storm will pull offshore on Saturday, but winds will remain gusty and ocean conditions rough through the weekend, which could lead to additional cycles of overwash over the next several days.
A list of local Outer Banks resources for additional information is as follows:
- 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.
