A strong cold front crossing the region on Wednesday will bring a variety of weather impacts, including a threat of severe thunderstorms and high surf along the south-facing beaches of the Outer Banks.
Out ahead of the front, southerly winds will increase to between 20 and 30 mph, with gusts of 30 to 40 mph over inland areas and 40 to 50 mph along the beaches.
A Wind Advisory has been issued for Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, when the winds are forecast to be their strongest.
A High Surf Advisory and Coastal Flood Advisory have been issued for Hatteras and Ocracoke islands, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., for breaking waves of up to 8 feet in the surf zone and oceanside flooding of 1 to 2 feet above ground.
Some minor ocean overwash could be possible with high tide between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday, between Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout, with the main threats along N.C. 12 on the north end of Ocracoke Island, and possibly at the Sandy Bay beach access to the northern border of Hatteras village.
No soundside flooding is expected, according to the National Weather Service.
A Gale Warning has been posted for all of the coastal waters. With the forecast of strong winds and rough waves, that may lead to suspension of service for all three Ocracoke ferry routes on Wednesday.
Along with the coastal impacts, there is the possibility of strong to severe thunderstorms that could produce damaging winds and even a few tornadoes across eastern North Carolina from around midday through the evening hours.
The slow-moving nature of the front has brought some much needed rainfall to the region already this week, with more likely on Wednesday.
Although it has not been enough to help break the moderate drought that has set in across much of eastern North Carolina, around 1 to 2 inches is possible through Wednesday night with locally higher amounts where the strongest storms form.
After the front passes early Thursday, cooler temperatures returns to the region to wrap up the work week before another warm up and some additional rainfall over the final weekend of fall.
The post Strong winds, high surf, minor overwash possible on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands on Wednesday appeared first on Island Free Press.
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