Saturday, June 14, 2025

NCDOT working to open N.C. Highway 12 today; Additional ocean overwash expected at high tide

Share post:

Pea Island on Tuesday morning. NCDOT image

11:30 A.M. UPDATE: Tuesday’s high tide is severely hampering efforts to reopen N.C. Highway 12 on Hatteras and Ocracoke today. NCDOT crews are continuing work to clear sand and water off the road, but the reopening time of N.C. 12 has been pushed back to 2 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon.

Per a Tuesday morning update from the N.C. Department of Transportation, N.C. Highway 12 remains closed between Oregon Inlet and Rodanthe, as well as on Ocracoke Island between the Pony Pens and the Ferry Terminal.

Last night’s high tide caused additional flooding to these stretches of N.C. 12, and there is standing saltwater in sections of Avon, northern Buxton, northern Rodanthe, and Hatteras.

NCDOT crews are working this morning with the goal of reopening N.C. Highway 12 at some point today, however, much will depend on Tuesday’s high tide, which occurs at noon.

Coastal flooding and ocean overwash will continue through mid-week for Hatteras Island, Ocracoke, Downeast Carteret County, and the Crystal Coast, peaking at high tide around 12:00 p.m. today. A high threat of rip currents also continues for all area beaches on Tuesday, and will likely linger for the next several days as distant Teddy continues to move north, and away from the Mid-Atlantic coastline.

The Coastal Flood Warning for the Northern Outer Banks and Hatteras Island has been extended into Tuesday afternoon to account for the next high tide cycle, per a Monday afternoon update from the National Weather Service (NWS) Newport / Morehead City office.

The combination of seasonal high tides, strong northeast winds, and long-form waves created by Hurricane Teddy has caused ocean conditions that have broken through protective dunes and deposited large amounts of sand and saltwater on the road. In some spots, the sand on the highway is four-to-six feet deep. However, per a Monday evening update from NCDOT, no structural damage to the road has been observed.

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/.

Buxton on Tuesday morning. NCDOT image
Mirlo Beach on Tuesday morning. NCDOT image

 

1 COMMENT

Trending

Subscribe

Help Support Local News! Subscribe for Free, Upgrade to Premium, or Make a Contribution.

Related articles

Outer Banks leaders issue calls opposing drilling plans as comment period ends Monday

From SamWalkerOBXNews.com Dare County, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head and Southern Shores leaders have reaffirmed their opposition to the...

Federal grants finalized for N.C. 12 Pea Island study, Alligator River bridge replacement

From SamWalkerOBXNews.com Federal grants to help pay for the construction of a new bridge over the Alligator River and...

Dare County Board of Commissioners approve county’s Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget

The Dare County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted the county’s annual budget—which becomes effective July 1, 2025—following a...

Highlights from the June 2025 Dare County Board of Commissioners Meeting

The following is a summary of the June 9 Dare County Board of Commissioners meeting and does not...