Multiple additional advisories have been issued for the Outer Banks ahead of this weekend’s stormy weather, including a Coastal Flood Advisory, Wind Advisory, High Surf Advisory, and Gale Warning, per a Thursday morning update from the National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City office.
As Hurricane Ian tracks through the southeast United States, the storm will interact with a stalled front with strong high pressure off the N.C. coast, and a pressure gradient will develop and bring prolonged periods of strong gusty northeast winds to the Outer Banks from Thursday into Saturday.
As a result, there is the potential for 1-3 feet of above-ground oceanfront inundation over multiple tide cycles through Saturday. Ocean overwash is possible, especially in areas that experienced a loss of dunes over the past few weeks, and N.C. Highway 12 may be impacted.
The prolonged northeast winds, (with maximum wind gusts up to 50 mph), will also make 1 to 2 feet of above-ground inundation possible on soundside portions of Hatteras Island.
The tropical moisture pushing into the area will bring periods of heavy rain, with up to 6 inches of rain currently forecast for the Outer Banks, along with the possibility of tornado activity from Friday into the weekend.
Ocean conditions will also be hazardous through the weekend, with the potential for 10-12 ft. breaking waves in the surf zone.
Ocracoke to Cedar Island and Ocracoke to Swan Quarter ferries have been canceled for Thursday, September 29, due to the inclement weather. The Hatteras-Ocracoke vehicular ferry is still on schedule as of 9:00 a.m. on Thursday.
For more information on the local forecast, visit www.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/.
