N.C. Highway 12 closed on northern Ocracoke Island

2:00 UPDATE: N.C. Highway 12 has reopened between Rodanthe and Oregon Inlet, per a 1:45 p.m. update from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). Travelers are advised to drive with care, as there are still areas of light sand and standing water on the roadway.

11:30 a.m. UPDATE: N.C. Highway 12 is open to traffic on northern Ocracoke Island and Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry operations have resumed.

N.C. Highway 12 is temporarily closed on northern Ocracoke Island, per a 9:00 a.m. Tuesday update from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT.)

“Due to ocean overwash, NC12 is now also CLOSED on Ocracoke Island between the NPS Pony Pen and the ferry terminal,” stated the NCDOT update. “Our crews will clear and reopen the area after this high tide cycle has passed.”

The Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry route has also temporarily suspended operations due to the closure of N.C. Highway 12 on Ocracoke Island.

N.C. Highway 12 is also currently impassable in northern Buxton, and is closed between Rodanthe and Oregon Inlet as of Tuesday morning, due to worsening conditions at the dune breach in the Mirlo Beach area. The Island Free Press will post updates as soon as possible, and the public can also view https://drivenc.gov/ for real-time updates.

Some standing water also remains on the roadway in other locations, such as Hatteras village, Frisco, and north Avon, due to soundside flooding that occurred on Monday.

Though conditions are expected to improve on Tuesday, minor coastal flooding impacts may continue this morning across the Crystal Coast, Downeast Carteret, and soundside Ocracoke. Around 1-2 feet of inundation is possible at high tide this morning for Ocracoke Island, which is roughly 9 a.m. Flooding of very low-lying roads and areas is probable, though soundside flooding is not expected to be as bad as yesterday.

An 86 mph wind gust was recorded at Oregon Inlet on Monday, per the National Weather Service, while Avon recorded a peak wind gust of 66 mph and Hatteras/Frisco recorded a peak wind gust of 56 mph. Winds will continue to diminish on Tuesday as the coastal low pressure system moves away from the Outer Banks.

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/.