Wind Gusts up to 60 mph and Coastal Flooding Possible Starting Late Thursday Night

High winds and coastal flooding is expected late Thursday night and will continue through the weekend, per the Wednesday afternoon briefing from the National Weather Service (NWS) Newport / Morehead City Office.    

A deep and slow moving low pressure system will coincide with a period of extreme high tides going into the weekend, which could increase the chances of coastal flooding.

Per the NWS briefing, N.C. Highway 12 on Hatteras Island will likely become flooded and impassable around times of high tide due to ocean overwash and erosion, and impacts are expected to be at their highest beginning late Friday night.

Oceanside flooding will likely be a concern from Saturday through Monday, while soundside flooding is also possible throughout Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands from Friday evening into Saturday.

Winds are forecast to come from the northwest at 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 60 mph late Thursday night through Saturday evening. Seas up to 10-17 feet are also forecast through the weekend.

The low pressure system will be transiting offshore, and after some rain Wednesday night and Thursday, skies should clear as the winds pick up. Temps are forecast to remain above freezing throughout the weather event.

Dare County Emergency Management advises residents to be ready to protect property from winds and water. Some travel routes may become flooded, and the Outer Banks region could see downed tree limbs and scattered power outages.

For more information, visit www.weather.gov/mhx for weather forecast information, or the National Weather Service office in Newport / Morehead City’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/NWSMoreheadCity/.