As a safety precaution, Cape Hatteras National Seashore has temporarily closed all ORV ramps due to difficult beach driving conditions. The combination of snow and sand has resulted in numerous vehicles getting stuck on Hatteras and Ocracoke Island beaches.
At least 5-6 inches of snow fell overnight on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands, and another half inch or inch of additional snow is expected on Wednesday morning, according to an update from the National Weather Service (NWS).
“It will be dry and cold tonight, and the snow will knock those temperatures down, so driving conditions will remain dicey,” Morgan Simms, meteorologist with the NWS Newport/Morehead City office. “On Thursday, we’ll have a little warmer [weather] over the Outer Banks, and will get some rain, which might help expedite the snow melting.”
North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) crews were on the job at 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning to clear N.C. Highway 12 and state-maintained roads, however, travel is not advised unless absolutely necessary.
“The snow is just now winding down across the Outer Banks, but it is still very windy and very cold, and roads across the area can best be described as treacherous,” stated the NCDOT in a Wednesday morning update. “Our crews are out plowing and salting primary routes, but the best advice we have for motorists today is STAY HOME.”
A list of local Outer Banks resources for additional information is as follows:
- For additional snow maps, visit https://www.weather.gov/mhx/winter.
- For information on the local forecast, visit www.weather.gov/moreheadcity/ 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.
