A powerful storm system will continue to bring rainfall across the Outer Banks through Monday night, with strong winds arriving early Tuesday morning and continuing through the afternoon alongside a threat of soundside flooding, per a Monday evening update from the National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City office.
A Coastal Flood Warning, High Surf Advisory, and Wind Advisory have been issued for Hatteras Island due to an extended period of gale-force southwesterly winds. Minor to moderate soundside flooding is expected, and inundation of 2-3 ft. is forecast, with locally higher amounts of up to 4 ft. possible, especially from Oregon Inlet to Frisco.
The greatest impacts are expected to occur on Tuesday morning and afternoon, and N.C. Highway 12 may be impacted.
Travelers are advised to avoid N.C. Highway 12 on northern Ocracoke Island around the times of high tide, per updates from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS).
Minor coastal flooding of 1-2 feet above ground level is also expected for soundside areas near Hatteras Village through Tuesday, as well as for the northern Outer Banks communities. Up to 3 ft. of flooding in these areas is possible, especially in low-lying areas.
Additionally, wind gusts of 45-50 mph are likely along the coast, and widespread 2-3″ of total rainfall is expected, but a flash flood threat remains negligible.
Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry operations have been suspended as of 6:15 p.m. on Monday due to dense fog and low visibility in the area. Ferry service will resume once weather conditions improve.
- For more information on the local weather 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/.
- 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. Users will get notified of any schedule changes directly from the terminal, and can unsubscribe at any time.
- 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
