UPDATE: N.C. Highway 12 closed south of Oregon Inlet

UPDATE: As of 3:30 p.m. on Friday, N.C. Highway 12 has reopened to Hatteras Island traffic.

Per a recent social media update from Dare County and an alert on DriveNC.org, N.C. Highway 12 is now closed to southbound traffic at Oregon Inlet due to soundside flooding.

“Southbound lane from Oregan Inlet bridge to Hatteras closed due to severe sound side flooding. Roads will remain closed until water recedes,” stated the NCDOT update.

Multiple areas of N.C. Highway 12 are inundated with soundside flooding as of 1 p.m. on Friday. Affected areas include Avon Village, northern Avon, the stretch of roadway from Avon to Salvo, the Tri-villages, and portions of Pea Island towards Oregon Inlet.

N.C. Highway 12 was still clear from central Avon to Hatteras as of Friday afternoon.

Winds will peak between on Friday afternoon, with maximum wind gusts up to 48 mph. Water levels are expected to start receding Friday afternoon or evening.

The strong southwest winds will continue to make soundside flooding probable throughout the day, especially north of Buxton.

Dare County schools released students early on Friday due to deteriorating road conditions.

The Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry, and all ferries from Ocracoke to Cedar Island and Swan Quarter, were suspended as of Friday morning due to high winds.

For information about current road conditions from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), visit  DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on social media.

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/.