Dorian expected to be all-day event on Friday; 4-7 feet of rapid storm surge forecast

4-7 feet of storm surge continues to be forecast for Hatteras and Ocracoke islands with very rapid water level rise on the Pamlico Sound as the center of the storm passes on Friday, per the Thursday afternoon update from the National Weather Service Newport / Morehead City office.

Initial storm surge impacts will be along the oceanside and will occur as early as Thursday night, especially during periods of high tide. The next high tide is at approximately 1:30 a.m. for Hatteras Island. Life-threatening storm surge inundation is expected, and N.C. Highway 12 may become inundated and impassable.

Storm surge inundation will expand north and into the Pamlico Sound starting this afternoon and into the night, and worst conditions for Outer Banks will be Friday.

Storm surge estimates are fluid, and the public can keep track of any changes via the National Hurricane Center’s Storm Surge Inundation Map.

8 to 10 inches of rain is still forecast for northern Hatteras Island, and 6-8 inches of rain is forecast for southern Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island. A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for the Outer Banks. Flash flood risk is expected to be highest late tonight through Friday morning with rain rates of more than 2 inches per hour at times.

Maximum sustained winds up to 92 mph and wind gusts up to 117 mph are also forecast with the latest update, with tropical-storm-force winds expected to arrive sometime Thursday evening or night.

Tropical-storm-force winds could last for 18 hours, while winds over 70 mph could last for up to 8 hours. Life-threatening winds will lead to downed trees, power and communication outages.

As of 4 p.m. on Thursday, N.C. Highway 12 was passable throughout Hatteras Island.

There will be no access into Dare County beginning at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday. 

Curfews have been established for all areas of Hatteras Island beginning at 8:00 p.m. Thursday through noon on Friday.

Dare County remains under a Hurricane Warning and a Storm Surge Warning. A Flash Flood Watch is in effect through 8:00 p.m. Friday. A Tornado Watch is in effect through 7:00 p.m. Thursday. Monitor updated local weather forecasts, watches and warnings from the National Weather Service at www.weather.gov/mhx.