Coastal Flood Advisory issued for the Outer Banks; Soundside flooding possible
Strong southwest winds ahead of an approaching cold front will impact the Outer Banks Wednesday night into Thursday, with the potential for coastal flooding along the Croatan, Roanoke, and Pamlico Sounds, per an update from the National Weather Service.
Winds may reach 40-50 mph starting Wednesday night, and 1-2 feet of coastal flooding in soundside areas that are routinely impacted by southwest flow is possible. The highest water levels are expected between 6-10 a.m. on Thursday.
A Coastal Flood Advisory is in effect for the Outer Banks from 10 p.m. Wednesday through 4 p.m. Thursday. A Gale Warning and Wind Advisory have also been issued.
Ocean overwash is not expected at this time, but soundside flooding could affect N.C. Highway 12 in vulnerable and low-lying areas, and caution is advised. Record or near-record cold temperatures are also expected Thursday night into Friday night.
A list of local Outer Banks resources for additional information is as follows:
- For information on the local forecast, visit weather.gov/mhx for general weather information, or the National Weather Service office in Newport/Morehead City’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NWSMoreheadCity/.
- For local water level forecasts from the NWS, visit https://water.noaa.gov/wfo/mhx
- 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.
- 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.
