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Update 10 a.m.: The Hatteras/Ocracoke ferry route will resume this morning with a 11 a.m. departure from Hatteras and 12:30 p.m. from Ocracoke.
Update 7 a.m.: All ferry departures from Ocracoke, Cedar Island, and Swan Quarter have been suspended until further notice due to winter storm conditions. For more information please call 252-928-5311
Ocracoke School is closed today, Thurs., Jan. 18.
The NC Ferry Division announced that due to deteriorating conditions, the last ferries from Hatteras tonight (Wednesday) to Ocracoke will be at 6 and 7:30 p.m.
The last trips from Ocracoke to Hatteras tonight will be 6:15, 7:30 and 8: 45. Operations will be suspended at this time until conditions improve.
Hyde County Government Offices will open Thursday at noon.
The latest advisory (Wednesday at 3 p.m.) from the National Weather Service out of Morehead City announced that a coastal low will develop and bring a period of locally heavier snow to the Eastern N.C. coast tonight through the early morning hours with up to 2 to 4-inch totals. Heavier amounts are possible, especially on the Outer Banks.
With the precipitation, strong northerly winds and dangerous seas will quickly develop tonight as low pressure strengthens off the coast. Winds will peak at 25 to 35 mph tonight with gusts up to 45 mph. This will produce dangerous seas of 7 to 11 feet. Winds and seas will gradually subside late Thursday.
The NWS forecasters have high confidence in the event duration and expect that the precipitation will have cleared our coast by sunrise. Temperatures will not rise above freezing until after 11 a.m. Thursday, but sunny skies will create suitable melting conditions absent temperatures above freezing.
On Friday, temperatures will rebound into the 50s.
The Hyde County Emergency Services Department will continue to monitor the forecast and issue advisories as appropriate.
