Coastal Flood Advisory and High Wind Advisory in effect; Ferry operations suspended Friday morning
A Coastal Flood Advisory, High Wind Advisory, High Surf Advisory, and Gale Warning are in effect for Friday, January 21, as a winter storm starts to impact eastern North Carolina.
Per a Friday morning update from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), blowing sand has been reported on the roadway in several locations, and ocean overwash is a possibility through Sunday morning. Travelers are advised to drive with caution.
Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry operations have been suspended due to deteriorating weather conditions, and the Friday morning routes from Cedar Island and Swan Quarter to Ocracoke have been canceled. Conditions will be reassessed around noon for the afternoon departures.
While Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands are not expecting snow, sleet, or ice during the imminent winter storm, the area could be impacted by soundside and oceanside flooding, per a recent update from the National Weather Service.
There is the potential for 1-2 feet of inundation above ground level along the soundside in Frisco, Hatteras Village, and Ocracoke Island, and oceanside flooding is possible from Rodanthe to the northern Outer Banks, with large breaking waves of 6-9 feet expected in the surf zone.
Northerly winds of 25-35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, are expected across Dare County, and freezing temperatures are a concern for the southern Outer Banks on Saturday and Sunday, with temperatures in the low 30s expected on both Saturday and Sunday nights. The public is advised to protect outdoor pets, exposed pipes, and sensitive vegetation as needed.
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/.
