Some overwash possible again Thursday along Outer Banks, rough surf and deadly rip currents to last through weekend

Another round of overwash is possible with high tide Thursday morning and evening along the Outer Banks, after some issues were reported Wednesday night on Hatteras Island.

The National Weather Service has continued a Coastal Flood Warning through midnight for the Currituck Outer Banks, and a Coastal Flood Advisory for the beaches from Duck to Cape Hatteras, where water levels of 1 to 2 feet above ground is possible through this evening.

A tight pressure gradient between high pressure building into the area from the north and a weak, non-tropical area of low pressure well offshore created north winds of 20 to 25 mph with gusts as high as 30 mph over the coastal waters and breaking surf of up to 10 feet.

N.C. 12 has remained open to traffic despite the overwash at Pea Island Visitor Center. [Mandy Haage Fuller photo]

Thursday morning’s high tide has waves already lapping at the berm at Pea Island Visitor Center. [NCDOT image]

Overwash on Old NC 12 at Mirlo Beach with Thursday morning’s high tide. [NCDOT image]

While only some spotty overwash was experienced with Wednesday evening’s high tide in Rodanthe and Buxton, a roughly 30-foot section of dune failed at the Pea Island Visitors Center but N.C. 12 remains open to traffic.

There was also some reports of minor soundside flooding in Ocracoke and Hatteras villages, thanks to the northerly winds of 20-25 mph pushing water down the Pamlico Sound.

Eagle Pass Road in Hatteras covered by water on Friday morning. [Donna Barnett/Island Free Press photo]

This week is another King Tide event, when the moon is full and at one of the closest points of its orbit around the Earth. Overwash remains possible again with Thursday’s high tide around 7 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

High tide hit moderate flood stage Thursday morning at Duck Pier. [NOAA image]

Areas with poor dune structures, such as along N.C. 12 on Pea Island between Oregon Inlet and the Jug Handle Bridge, along the Rodanthe oceanfront and in Buxton just north of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse could experience the most overwash.

Travel along the four-wheel drive beaches north of Corolla will also be difficult around high tide, as well as for beach driving along Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

While the wind swell is expected to subside somewhat today, the rip current forecast for Thursday remains High Risk from Carova to Buxton, where everyone should stay out of the ocean.

A moderate risk is forecast for the south facing beaches off Frisco, Hatteras village and Ocracoke, where only experienced surf swimmers should enter the ocean.

Stay with the WOBX Weather Center for the latest updates.

National Weather Service seven-day forecasts for:

LIVE data from flood gauges at key locations throughout North Carolina, including automated email and text alerts, visit https://fiman.nc.gov/

Sign up for emergency alerts from Dare County and its municipalities. Beach safety and rip current information can be found at LoveTheBeachRespectTheOcean.com.

Currituck County provides beach safety and emergency updates for Corolla and the mainland via Currituck Alert.

The NCDOT Ferry Division provides real-time text or email alerts from their routes via the Ferry Information Notification System (FINS) at www.ncdot.gov/fins. System-wide route status updates will also be posted on the Ferry Division’s Twitter and Facebook pages.

For the latest images from NCDOT traffic cameras on the Outer Banks and northeastern North Carolina, visit: https://wobx.com/2022/06/01/outer-banks-northeastern-north-carolina-traffic-cameras/.

LIVE video from Kitty Hawk, courtesy Twiddy & Co.: