By Sam Walker
Overwash was starting to increase on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands as the Wednesday afternoon high tide combines with swells from distant hurricanes Humberto and Imelda and a strong north/northeast wind.
The National Weather Service expected the Wednesday afternoon high tide cycle to be the worst of the triple threat to hit the Outer Banks this week.
“Ongoing coastal impacts and dangerous surf will continue through tonight, then gradually step down in severity in the coming days,” the National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City said in a press release.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Highway 12 remained open to traffic on Hatteras Island, but is closed on Ocracoke.
All ferry service has also been suspended to and from Ocracoke due to strong winds on the Pamlico Sound, and the Currituck-Knotts Island ferry is not running due to low water levels and winds on the Currituck Sound.
No overwash issues have been reported north of Oregon Inlet, but surf is washing up to the dunes north to Carova Beach.
A Coastal Flood Advisory continues from the state line to Oregon Inlet, a Coastal Flood Warning from Oregon Inlet to Ocracoke, and a High Surf Advisory and Wind Advisory from Duck to Ocracoke.
Conditions are forecast to begin improving slightly on Thursday as the pair of hurricanes move out to sea and winds start to die down, but the surf is expected to remain very rough until at least Saturday.
There will likely be additional overwash up to three hours before and after high tide over the next several days, which is 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Thursday, 4:51 a.m. and 5:23 p.m. on Friday, and 5:49 a.m. on Saturday.
Double red No Swimming flags are flying along the beaches, and everyone is advised to stay out of the ocean.
