Storm Pulls Away from Coast; Highway 12 Open
High winds will taper off on Tuesday as the coastal storm moves away from the coast, however rough seas and possible ocean overwash may linger throughout the day.
N.C. Highway 12 on northern Ocracoke Island, which was temporarily closed due to oceanside flooding, reopened on Monday afternoon after North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) crews were able to remove sand and water from the highway, and assess it for damage.
Sand and standing water remains at a few locations along N.C. Highway 12, (particularly on Ocracoke Island), however the road is passable throughout the islands. Motorists are advised to use caution, especially around high tide. The next high tide is around 10 a.m. on Tuesday.
The early-week storm brought maximum wind gusts of 60-70 mph on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands on Sunday night, and 4.1 inches of rain was recorded in Frisco over a 48 hour period. Buxton received 2.94 inches of rain, while Rodanthe received 2.01 inches of rain during the storm.
For more information on the local forecast, visit www.weather.gov/mhx for weather information, or the National Weather Service office in Newport / Morehead City’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NWSMoreheadCity/.
