Flood Watch issued for the Outer Banks ahead of Debby’s rain arrival
Flooding rains and deadly rip currents into this weekend continue to be the primary issue for northeastern North Carolina from what is now Tropical Storm Debby.
The center of the fourth tropical cyclone of 2024 came ashore as a hurricane Monday morning in the Big Bend area of Florida, and has since been slowing to a crawl as it makes it way towards Georgia and interacts with a stalled front.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for areas below the Albemarle Sound through Friday, as outer rainbands have started to make their way into North Carolina and spread northward.
With the slow movement of Debby, rainfall will be the main threat as it interacts with a stalled frontal boundary this week.
The forecast track has shifted somewhat Tuesday morning, lowering the expected amount of rainfall for our area slightly. Farther to the south and west, record-breaking rainfall flooding is possible.
“Please don’t write Debby off as a weakening tropical storm,” said Dare County Emergency Management Director Drew Pearson. “Let’s keep our guard up until the uncertainty is eliminated over the next few days.”
“Citizens should prepare their homes and property for significant rain and the threat of high winds,” said Mary Beth Newns, Currituck County Emergency Management Director.
Gov. Roy Cooper issued a declaration on Monday that activates state resources to respond to the threat from Debby.
“Accumulations for our northeastern zones are lower than previously displayed due to a slightly faster forecast for the departure of the system Saturday,” said forecasters at NWS Newport on Tuesday. “However, additional rain is possible later in the weekend.”
“Considerable uncertainty in the forecast track still remains as upper-level steering currents continue to be weak for the next few days,” the weather office said.
But the forecast is constantly evolving, and is expected to change as we move through the week.
The center of Debby is now expected to move off the Georgia coast Tuesday, crawl just offshore on Wednesday, and then make landfall again along the South Carolina coast on Thursday.
How long and how far Debby remains off the southeast U.S. could allow for restrengthening that may increase the level of impacts, especially for the central North Carolina coast and even portions of the Outer Banks.
Tropical storm-force winds are currently forecast to remain south of our area until Thursday afternoon and evening.
If Debby remains just a tropical storm or is downgraded to a tropical depression when it arrives in North Carolina, past history shows that evacuation orders will likely not be necessary.
There could be impacts to ferry services to and from Ocracoke Island, and increased ocean swells may cause travel issues along N.C. 12 on Hatteras Island and Ocracoke.
“Crews are currently staging equipment from Oregon Inlet to Ocracoke in all the usual hotspots,” the N.C. Department of Transportation said Monday. “We are also checking stormwater structures and ditches area-wide, and making sure that all our equipment (chainsaws, etc.) is in working order.”
Weather conditions across the area the last several days were not related to Debby, including a thunderstorm on Sunday that spawned a landspout that damaged the Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills before moving offshore, and dumped copious amounts of rain on some locations again on Monday.
But the frontal boundary causing the storms has stalled out to our west, increasing our chances for more showers and storms through Tuesday, and will be responsible for causing Debby’s almost-unpredictable future.
A steady southerly flow continues to create a high risk of rip currents and strong longshore currents along the beaches off Frisco, Hatteras Village, and Ocracoke, where red flags are flying and everyone should stay out of the ocean.
A moderate risk, yellow flag day, is forecast for the beaches from Oregon Inlet to Cape Hatteras, including Pea Island, Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, and Buxton, where only experienced surf swimmers should enter the ocean.
A low risk is forecast from Oregon Inlet to the state line.
A list of local Outer Banks resources for information is below.
- For alerts and notifications from Dare County on a customizable list of events or emergencies, (including hurricane evacuations and updates), visit https://www.darenc.gov/departments/emergency-management/emergency-alerts.
- For rip current information and other beach hazards, sign up for text alerts from Dare County, ocean rescue agencies, and the National Weather Service by texting “OBXBeachConditions” to 77295.
- For real-time flood maps that show water level rises throughout Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands, (as well as optional alerts), visit the NC Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network.
- 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 up-to-date information on tropical conditions, follow the NWS at gov/mhx/tropical or visit the National Hurricane Center’s website. Just pay attention to all info, and not just the cone graphics.
- To sign up for the Special Needs Registry for hurricane assistance through Dare County, visit https://www.darenc.gov/departments/health-human-services/special-medical-needs-registry or call 252-475-5599.
- For Dare County hurricane information, including reentry procedures, visit https://www.darenc.gov/departments/emergency-management/hurricanes.
- 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.
- For up-to-the-minute local information on hurricanes, as they happen, listen to Radio Hatteras at 101.5 (Avon through Hatteras) and 99.9 (Tri-villages), or visit them online at https://www.radiohatteras.org/.
- For online news coverage on active storms, continue to check the Island Free Press.
