Threat for Severe Weather Wednesday Night / Thursday Enhanced

Per the latest 4 p.m. briefing from the National Weather Service Newport / Morehead City Office, coastal residents should expect an enhanced severe weather threat that starts Wednesday night and which covers all regions of the Outer Banks.

A Wind Advisory has also been issued for all coastal area with the potential 35 to 45 mph gusts, and a High Surf Advisory has been issued for areas south of Cape Hatteras from Thursday into Thursday evening.

There is a potential for two rounds of severe weather to develop across the region Wednesday night and early Thursday. The first round is expected to start on Wednesday evening until an hour or two after midnight, which is associated with a warm front lifting across the region. A second round is forecasted for late tonight into Thursday morning, which occurs ahead of a strong cold front.

Per the National Weather Service, this still has the potential to be a dangerous and potentially life-threatening severe weather outbreak across Eastern NC. At this time, the Storm Prediction Center has Eastern NC in an enhanced risk for severe storms through Thursday morning, and threats include a few tornadoes, some potentially strong, damaging winds, and large hail.

Coastal NC residents and visitors are advised to have multiple methods of receiving warnings, such as keeping cell phones on at night.

Once the severe weather threat ends on Thursday, strong southwesterly winds will develop, bringing gale force winds and large waves around 10 – 17 feet across much of the coastal waters, with the highest south of Oregon Inlet.

In addition, minor to moderate water level rises will be possible in 2 to 3 feet range across soundside areas of the Outer Banks.

For information on this evolving weather system, visit www.spc.noaa.gov and / or www.weather.gov/mhx.