By Sam Walker
Forecasters are warning that a long-duration coastal storm will bring several days of strong northeast winds, flooding, and ocean overwash to the Outer Banks beginning Thursday and continuing into early next week — coinciding with one of the year’s highest astronomical tide cycles.
The National Weather Service in Newport/Morehead City said Wednesday evening that a coastal flood watch across Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands to a Coastal Flood Advisory for Thursday and Friday where 1 to 3 feet of water above ground level is expected.
“Significant coastal impacts are expected” as a cold front moves offshore and a powerful low-pressure system develops along the Carolina coast.
Events scheduled for Ocracoke, particularly the Working Watermen’s Festival, have already been impacted by the forecast, and are either being postponed or cancelled.
Forecasters say confidence is high that gusty northeast winds will develop behind the cold front, bringing minor to moderate coastal flooding Thursday into Friday, followed by stronger winds and moderate to locally major flooding as the storm strengthens this weekend.
Sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph and gusts of 45 to 50 mph or higher are possible along exposed beaches, with heavy rain and isolated flash flooding adding to the hazards.
Officials said weekend travel, especially on N.C. 12 on Hatteras, has the potential to become dangerous due to wind, rain and ocean overwash that could lead to road closures.
Ferry service to-and-from both Ocracoke may be disrupted by strong winds through the weekend.
King tides — when the moon’s orbit brings it closest to Earth and it is either full or new — will worsen the flooding, pushing tides higher and extending overwash farther over the beach.
High tide during the expected duration of this event, with the highest water levels expected with the daytime tides, are around:
Thursday: 9:30 a.m., 9:54 p.m.
Friday: 10:30 a.m., 11 p.m.
Saturday: 11:30 a.m., 11:45 p.m.
Sunday, midnight
Monday: 1 a.m., 1:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, in the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Jerry — the tenth tropical cyclone of the 2025 hurricane season — is expected to strengthen into a hurricane as it tracks near the Northern Leeward Islands and passes east of Bermuda early next week.
if it gets strong enough, it could produce swells that reach the North Carolina coast line over the weekend, compounding the situation.
