Coastal Flood Advisory in effect until Friday afternoon; Soundside flooding reported on Hatteras Island

Soundside flooding was reported on Hatteras Island on Thursday afternoon, (particularly in Hatteras Village and in the Tri-Villages region of Rodanthe, Waves, and Salvo), as a second low pressure system continues to impact the Outer Banks.

A Coastal Flood Advisory has been issued for Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands until 2:00 p.m. on Friday due to the fast-moving system, which is bringing heavy rains, strong winds, and the potential for additional ocean overwash.

Minor coastal flooding of 1-2 ft. above normally dry ground is forecast until early Friday afternoon along the oceanside and soundside of Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands.

Soundside flooding throughout the islands is most likely from Thursday afternoon through Friday morning, and the public can keep track of water level rises via the NC Flooding Inundation Mapping and Alert Network, which provides real-time updates on water level elevations throughout North Carolina.

Ocean overwash is most likely during Thursday night and Friday morning’s high tides, (approximately 10:15 p.m. on Thursday and 10:35 a.m. on Friday), especially in areas with vulnerable dune structures.

Sand and standing water, (with some noticeably deep areas), were reported on N.C. Highway 12 as of Thursday afternoon, but the highway remains open and passable throughout Hatteras Island.

Wind gusts of 40-50 mph will peak on Thursday night, and a Gale Warning, High Surf Advisory, and Flood Watch are also in effect for the southern Outer Banks.

N.C. Highway 12 remains closed on northern Ocracoke Island from the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry terminal to the NPS Pony Pens due to multiple cycles of ocean overwash that have occurred since Saturday, March 23.

Per a Tuesday update from the N.C. Ferry System, the highway and Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry operations are expected to be closed for several more days. The Ocracoke-Swan Quarter and Ocracoke-Cedar ferries are running as scheduled, but reservations are strongly recommended.

• For more information on the local weather 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/.
• 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. Users will get notified of any schedule changes directly from the terminal, and can unsubscribe at any time.
• 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.