Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight forms; Overwash reported with Sunday’s high tide

It is becoming more likely that an area of low pressure off the South Carolina coast will become either
a tropical or subtropical storm within the next day or two, per an update from the National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City Office.

Northern Buxton at 6:00 p.m. Sunday. NCDOT image

However, whether or not this happens, impacts such as flooding rain, coastal flooding, a few tornadoes, and high winds are expected along Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands over the next several days.

Minor ocean overwash was reported with Sunday’s 5:45 p.m. high tide in northern Hatteras, northern Buxton, and the Mirlo Beach area of Rodanthe.

N.C. Highway 12 is open and passable, but additional ocean overwash of 1-3 feet above ground level is possible through Tuesday, particularly around high tide cycles.

The next high tide is approximately 6:15 a.m. on Monday. With a full moon on Wednesday, and the moon being at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, conditions will lead to elevated water levels due to a King Tide this week.

Rodanthe on Sunday morning. Photo by Brad Hanson.

Debris was reported near American Drive in Rodanthe due to damage to oceanfront homes in the area, and an oceanfront deck that collapsed over the weekend. The public is advised to use caution along the nearby beaches.

Peak wind gusts of 40 mph or more are forecast through Tuesday night, and an additional 3-4 inches of rain is possible through Tuesday night as well. A new daily record for September 13 was recorded on Friday at Billy Mitchell Field in Frisco of 4.59 inches. (The old record for Cape Hatteras of 4.26 inches was set in 2018 by outer rainbands from Hurricane Florence.)

Rain over the past week will make some low-lying areas more susceptible to flooding, while large breaking waves of up to 12 feet in the surf zone will also make beach erosion and ocean overwash more likely over the next several days.

A Coastal Flood Advisory has been issued for the beaches from Duck to Ocracoke starting Sunday afternoon through Monday night, and a High Surf Advisory is also in effect through Tuesday morning.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Frisco, Hatteras Village, and Ocracoke Island as of 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.

A list of local Outer Banks resources for information is below.

For alerts and notifications from Dare County, visit https://www.darenc.gov/departments/emergency-management/emergency-alerts.
For information on the local forecast, visit 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/.
For up-to-date information on tropical conditions, follow the NWS at gov/mhx/tropical or visit the National Hurricane Center’s website. Just pay attention to all info, and not just the cone graphics.
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.
For rip current information and other beach hazards, sign up for text alerts from Dare County, ocean rescue agencies, and the National Weather Service by texting “OBXBeachConditions” to 77295.
For real-time flood maps that show water level rises throughout Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands, (as well as optional alerts), visit the NC Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network.
For up-to-the-minute local information on hurricanes, as they happen, listen to Radio Hatteras at 101.5 (Avon through Hatteras) and 99.9 (Tri-villages), or visit them online at https://www.radiohatteras.org/.
For online news coverage on active storms, continue to check the Island Free Press.