N.C. Highway 12 remains open on Hatteras Island, overwash reported Saturday morning
N.C. Highway 12 is open on Hatteras Island as of Saturday morning, however, ocean overwash was reported in northern Buxton and Pea Island before and after the 7:00 a.m. high tide, and standing water and sand was reported at multiple locations and across both lanes, especially between Rodanthe and Oregon Inlet.
If travel is necessary, drivers are advised to slow down, use caution, and watch for North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) personnel as they continue to clear the road.
N.C. Highway 12 was closed between Rodanthe and Oregon Inlet on Friday morning due to ocean overwash that breached the dune line near the Pea Island Visitor Center, but it reopened hours later at 2:00 p.m.
Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry service was still suspended as of Saturday due to severe overwash on northern Ocracoke Island, however, Ocracoke-Cedar Island and Ocracoke-Swan Quarter ferry operations have resumed.
An oceanfront home located at 23241 Surf Side Drive collapsed in northern Rodanthe on November 15 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.
The storm will continue to 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.
