Snow expected to taper off this morning, at least 5-6 inches reported on Hatteras, Ocracoke Islands overnight

Roughly 5-6 inches of snow was reported as of 6:00 a.m. Wednesday on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands, with another half inch or inch of additional snow expected in the hours to come, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

“Snow is still falling over Hatteras and Ocracoke, and we’re expecting that to happen for the next few hours after sunrise, before it tapers off late this morning,” said Morgan Simms, meteorologist with the NWS Newport/Morehead City office. “It will be dry and cold tonight, and the snow will knock those temperatures down, so driving conditions will remain dicey.

“On Thursday, we’ll have a little warmer [weather] over the Outer Banks, and will get some rain, which help might expedite the snow melting.”

“The heavier snow is coming to an end right now, and we might have an extra half inch to an inch of accumulation. It will be light compared to what we have seen overnight.”

Early snow accumulation estimates include 4-6 inches in Ocracoke Village, 5-7 inches in Frisco, and 5-7 inches in Avon, with wide variations and areas of deeper snow due to drifts.

North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) crews were on the job at 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning to clear N.C. Highway 12 and state-maintained roads, however, travel is not advised unless absolutely necessary.

A power outage was reported Tuesday night on southern Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island due to a pole that caught fire north of Hatteras Village. Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative (CHEC) crews immediately responded to the incident, and power was restored within an hour. The public is advised to report any future power outages by calling CHEC at 866-511-9862.

All Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry operations have been suspended as of 6:00 a.m. Tuesday.

A list of local Outer Banks resources for additional information is as follows:

• For additional snow maps, visit https://www.weather.gov/mhx/winter.
• For information on the local forecast, visit www.weather.gov/moreheadcity/ for general weather information, or the National Weather Service office in Newport/Morehead City’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NWSMoreheadCity/.
• 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.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton at 8:00 a.m. Wednesday. Video by Janet Morrow Dawson.

Lighthouse Beach in Buxton at 8:00 a.m. Wednesday. Video by Janet Morrow Dawson.

Frisco at 5:00 a.m. Video by Kristin Hissong.