Hyde County is looking to raise money with an increase in the sales tax and voters will have the chance to weigh in during the March 3 primary.
The Board of Commissioners at their Nov. 3 meeting passed a resolution to place on the ballot for voters to approve a quarter of a one-quarter cent increase.
However, this tax would not be on everything.
North Carolina General Statute 105 Article 46 allows counties to levy this tax and under which they can exempt some items.
Hyde County would exempt “unprepared foods” (groceries), gas and prescription medications.
If approved, the sales tax rate on all other items would go to 7%, up from the current rate of 6.75%.
This question was on the November 2024 ballot but was defeated.
“We’re going for this a second time, which is not unusual,” said Hyde County Manager Kris Noble at the November meeting.
Randal Mathews, chair of the board of commissioners, said in an interview that enacting this tax will help the county’s revenue problem without raising property taxes.
Property taxes are paid only by property owners, but everyone would pay this local tax when they purchase goods in the county.
“This would give us a little relief,” he said, noting that Ocracoke property owners pay about 40% of the total amount garnered from property taxes. “Ocracoke costs more, too—to haul trash, to have two EMS crews, which islanders wanted, and law enforcement.”
To date, 47 other counties in the state have voted to levy this tax.
The Ocracoke Observer, the island’s independent community newspaper since 1999, has been selected for inclusion in the Library of Congress’s National Digital Newspaper Program.
The designation means the Observer’s pages will be digitally archived to national standards for researchers, educators and the public worldwide through the Library of Congress website and preserve the paper’s reporting for future generations.
The newspaper’s owners, co-publishers and editorial board are Connie Leinbach, editor, and Peter Vankevich. They purchased the paper from Linda Rippe Buck in March 2014. Tom Yocum and Dawn Church founded the newspaper.
“Few places in North Carolina have seen so many important events in the state’s history–from Blackbeard’s death to the devastating effects of 21st century storms–as Ocracoke. So it is great news that the Observer will be preserved for future residents, historians, and all lovers of the island,” said Andrew Lawler, an American journalist, bestselling author and long-time visitor to Ocracoke.
The National Digital Newspaper Program is a partnership led by the Library of Congress and supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
It works with state-level projects to identify, digitize and preserve newspapers that document the social, cultural and political life of communities across the United States.
Inclusion helps ensure long-term preservation and broad access to local journalism that might otherwise be vulnerable to loss through age, storms or shifting technologies.
“As any writer of history or historical fiction will tell you, the value of local community news being preserved in the National Digital Newspaper Program can be the difference between a detailed, vivid, genuine portrait of the times as people lived it and a gaping hole in American history,” said Marie Arana, author, historian and inaugural literary director of the Library of Congress.
The announcement follows the Observer’s earlier selection last spring for inclusion in the North Carolina Digital Newspaper collections, a statewide initiative that aggregates and shares newspapers from across North Carolina through partner libraries and archives.
“As someone who has long admired the work of the Ocracoke Observer, I couldn’t be more proud to see their journalism preserved in both the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center and now the Library of Congress,” said Phil Lucey, NC Press Association executive director. “The Observer is more than a newspaper—it’s a lifeline for its island community and a reminder of just how vital strong local news truly is.
“We’re grateful to count the Ocracoke Observer as a valued award-winning member of the North Carolina Press Association, and I’m thrilled to see their stories—and the voices of Ocracoke—recognized and safeguarded for future generations.”
Digital preservation brings practical benefits beyond storage.
Researchers will be able to explore community responses to severe weather, track local government actions, study the island’s economy and cultural traditions and follow the evolution of public services and infrastructure over more than two decades. Genealogists and family historians will gain easier access to obituaries, announcements and community reports that are often difficult to locate in print.
“What a legacy the Observer has achieved, in bringing the only active print news source in Hyde County to the eyes of the world,” said Dr. Kaye Dotson, part-time islander and Associate Professor Emerita, Library Science, East Carolina University, College of Education. “Connie Leinbach and Peter Vankevich deserve accolades for bringing this to fruition, increasing access to this unique body of literature and information.”
For small newspapers, digitization can be a lifeline, protecting fragile back issues and extending their reach well beyond the circulation area.
The Observer’s inclusion highlights the role that independent, community-based journalism plays in documenting American life at the local level and ensures that Ocracoke’s voice is part of the national historical record.
From left front: Beth Smith, Joan O’Neal. Back: Rey Yackovetsky, Emilie Mason, Mary-Jo Gellenbeck and Angela Galloway.
Text and photos by Peter Vankevich
Here are some introductions to the Ocracoke School’s new additions to the teaching staff.
Angela Galloway Angela Galloway is the new first-grade teacher. She brings a wealth of experience of 14 years in public, private, Montessori and homeschool education. Her bachelor’s degree in elementary education is from Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, Stanly County, and she was most recently a teacher in Rowan County.
Angela Galloway
She first knew she wanted to become an elementary school teacher because her first-grade teacher inspired her by loving her students and making learning fun. “I loved her so much that I wanted to become like her.
“Working at Ocracoke school is so special to me. I discovered Ocracoke 30 years ago when my husband, on a whim, brought me here for Valentine’s Day. I remember it was freezing cold, but I fell in love with the island and vowed someday I would live and work here,” she said.
This dream came true.
Last fall, she attended an NCAAT conference on Technology Infused Math and had a chance to tour the new school and met Principal Jeanie Owens, to whom she expressed her interest in teaching. At the time, it didn’t seem to work out, but during the summer, she received an email from Owens saying that there was an opening and would she be interested in teaching first grade? With elation, she quickly accepted the position.
In 2022, while teaching at Yadkin Path Montessori School, she was among five teachers named Educators of the Year by Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina.
Galloway is enjoying the small class size–only 11 students, since she’s used to much larger classes. Her interests outside of the classroom include painting and photography, and she finds the sunsets on Ocracoke especially beautiful.
Beth Smith
Beth Smith Beth Smith is the new Pre-K teacher with a class of 10 students. She has an extensive background in education, having taught kindergarten through fourth grade for 20 years in the Dudley community in Wayne County. Smith grew up in Wilmington and earned her bachelor’s degree from Barton College in Wilson, North Carolina.
After two decades in education, she sought a career change. She enrolled in the Master of Library Science program at East Carolina University. Following her studies, she worked as a children’s librarian for five years and retired in 2020.
This summer, Smith considered returning to teaching and applied to the school. “My husband and I visited Ocracoke several times and loved it,” she said. “It was our dream to live here someday.” One of her hobbies, shell collecting, aligns well with the island’s environment.
Mary-Jo Gellenbeck A graduate of Villanova University in Philadelphia with a bachelor’s degree in communication arts, Gellenbeck is the new Exceptional Children (EC) teacher, working with students from Pre-K to 11th grade.
Her previous six years in education were in jobs within the Department of Public Instruction.
Mary-Jo Gellenbeck
“I worked at facilities that served public education,” she said, having worked as an environmental educator at the Hawaii Nature Center, designing programs for students who were studying earth science.
More recently she was the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program coordinator for Raleigh, which develops, manages and implements programs that encourage children to walk and bike to school by creating safer routes and educational initiatives.
She explained how she is now teaching at the school.
“One of my pastimes is to look at real estate using Zillow,” she said. While on vacation here, she searched for Ocracoke. “If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, there’s a school scorecard that identifies the schools that are associated with the address. Ocracoke scores are exceptionally high, eight out of 10 compared to the schools that are in Wake County and that really piqued my curiosity.”
It was the same month that Katie Kinion, the former Ocracoke student attending Harvard University, was on the front page of the Ocracoke Observer. That combination led her to apply for a teaching position.
Gellenbeck is looking forward to working within the community once she settles in on her teaching responsibilities.
Rey Yackovetsky As the new fifth-grade teacher, she has a class of nine students. She is a recent graduate of the University of Hartford with a Bachelor of Science degree in early childhood education and a minor in dance. This is her first official teaching assignment, but she had two years of student teaching while obtaining her degree.
Rey Yackovetsky
“I was homeschooled until the seventh grade and have always seen myself teaching younger people and I love sharing the joy of learning,” she said. Her goal is to have her students like school. “Some students who are behind feel they are not smart and cannot learn. I want to change their attitudes.”
Explaining how she ended up on Ocracoke, she said, “After graduating this spring, I had a hard time finding a teacher position. A lot of people are having a hard time getting jobs in Connecticut in pretty much every field.
“I was here on vacation in July with my family, and my dad kind of jokingly said, ‘Oh, you should see if this school is hiring.’ And so, I did, and then they were hiring and I applied. And the next day, Miss Jeanie called me to see if I wanted to come in for an interview. She offered me the job right after that for the fifth-grade teacher. So, I went on vacation and ended up with a job.”
She shared one positive first impression: “I think this school has a lot of amazing resources that I have not seen at a lot of schools I did my student teaching at.”
Emilie Mason Emilie Mason is the new Spanish teacher, K through 12, a new position for the school. She is collaborating with Flavia Burton, the ESL teacher who will retire at the end of the school year and then she will take on those responsibilities.
Mason’s bachelor’s degree in Spanish is from Peace College which is now William Peace University in Raleigh. She spent her junior year studying abroad in Grenada, Spain.
Emilie Mason
“I taught Spanish and ESL at Hatteras Elementary School for two years in my early 20s before I moved to Ocracoke,” she said. She then worked as a Pre-K assistant with Alice Burruss for three years; then was the Pre-K teacher for two years. After that, she took a long hiatus, and many people will recognize her from working at the Variety Store.
“Because this is a new program, I am treating all classes as beginner Spanish,” she said.
Mason finds the challenge of teaching Spanish interesting because the classes have some native Spanish speakers.
Rather than being bored, she encourages them to help their fellow students learn their language and is pleased how they are helping. She noted that one of the reasons students want to learn Spanish is to communicate with family members of their friends who do not speak much English.
Mason has teamed up with Maddie Payne coaching the young students’ Cheer Club that can be seen at the Ocracoke Dolphins basketball games.
Joan O’Neal Many people would consider that Joan (Joanie) O’Neal, the new business Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher, has had an amazing life.
She grew up in Ocracoke, graduating in 1990. After obtaining her English/secondary education degree from UNC-Wilmington, she moved to Alaska to work as a school administrator and teach CTE and business classes in remote communities with populations ranging from less than 100 to about 5,000.
One school, Barrow High School in Utqiaġvik, formerly known as Barrow, is the most northern school district in the United States.
In 2009, she wrote a story for the Ocracoke Observer on how and why she went from Ocracoke to Alaska to teach. It included this gem: “I have never lived in an igloo. Ironically, the only igloo I ever went in was in Kenny Ballance’s front yard in the 1980s during that big blizzard that hit Ocracoke.”
While in Alaska, O’Neal obtained a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Alaska-Anchorage and is working on a doctorate in educational leadership at Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia.
In addition to the classes, Entrepreneurship I and Intro to Business and Entrepreneurship for grades six through 12, she has set up and serves as the advisor to two student clubs: the Future Business Leaders of America and the Sports and Marketing Club. Both focus on developing leadership, business and career skills.
Joan O’Neal on right with Ocracoke’s Future of Business Leaders of America doing a fundraiser on a cold Saturday morning. North Carolina cold weather doesn’t phase her.
Sunday, Dec. 28: Church services: Ocracoke United Methodist Church, 11 am
Ocracoke Life Saving Church, 11 am
Stella Maris Chapel: Sunday Mass time at 4:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Go to Masstimes.org and type in the zip code 27960 but refresh your browser for it to work properly.
Ocracoke island is lit up with holiday lights, and judges for the Island Celebration competition made their choices Saturday night.
The event is held every December by the Ocracoke Civic & Business Association. Three anonymous judges selected the winners, who receive the glory of winning in one of five categories, designated by signs placed in front of their properties.
“These are magical displays that remind me of the kindness of Ocracoke and its people,” said one judge about the many displays by island residents and businesses.
Another judge noted that the island is lit up with the Christmas spirit.
“I never knew it was so beautiful here this time of year,” the judge said.
Receiving honorable mentions were the homes of Trudy and Tammy Austin along Lighthouse Road and Mandy and Rick Jones.
In addition to the many residential and business displays, the Island Inn Commons area is festooned with thousands of lights that will remain up until after the New Year.
Benefitting the Ocracoke Health Center,“Lights of Love,” a display of more than 170 luminarias in honor of loved ones past and present, graced the Pony Island Inn lawn.
The following are Island Celebration winners.
The home of Sarah and Brian Warren along Back Road is Best in Show. Photo by Stephanie O’Neal
The home of Jenny Mason and Mandi Cochran captures Best Theme. Photo by Stephanie O’Neal
David and Kari Styron’s home along Lighthouse Road is Most Traditional. Photo by Stephanie O’Neal
The home of Jack and Brenda Keys on Middle Road is Most Original. Photo by Stephanie O’Neal
Best Business is the Shave Shack on Irvin Garrish Highway. Photo by Stephanie O’Neal
The Lights of Love luminarias adorn the Pony Island Inn lawn for one night on Saturday Photo by Crystal Hardt
Other notable displays are as follows:
The Village Craftsmen on Howard Street. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
Books to be Red on School Road. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
The Ocracoke Variety Store. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
The home of Teresa Still along Old Beach Road. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
Eduardo inside his food truck. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
By Jeanne Brook
Sitting in Zillie’s on a winter night, we turned at the door creak to see Eduardo Chavez Perez walk in.
Seeing Eduardo outside of his food truck on Ocracoke is a special occurrence, like brushing across a local celebrity—a shy one, though; he may be looking for a quiet glass of Prosecco after a busy day.
We sat together and he expressed his concerns about staffing for the upcoming season.
He had a dedicated full-time staff, most of them carrying other jobs, and struggled with weekend help.
The vacation rental weekend turnover days required many cleaning hands on deck, and weekends are their “Aquiles ankle.”
Before I could stop myself, I said maybe I could help.
His eyes lit up and as I would continue to learn, once you throw something like that out into Eduardo’s universe, there’s no taking it back.
I had not done food service for many years but agreed to help on weekends. Maybe it would help with my Spanish.
That first Saturday, Eduardo’s daughter Ana taught me the ropes of the window. She lived in Mexico City but came in the season to help “because of him.”
The love was apparent. But it was also evident that Eduardo missed his mother and son in Mexico. It helped that Ana would fill the truck with her beautiful voice, singing Mexican opera songs.
A typical long line at Eduardo’s Taco Truck. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
The fans kept it from being killer hot; the Latino songs played, sometimes Ana sang, and the orders flowed in. Eduardo kept everything calm in stressful times.
In quieter moments, he would talk about his childhood and working as a painter when he was young and his mother teaching him to cook.
Eduardo is proud of his spicy, flavorful food made with love and he wanted his customers to experience its authenticity.
His Tres Leches Hotcakes were time consuming and works of art, and he did not care to make them plain, if asked.
The chilaquiles bowl would change preparatory hands as the tortilla chips were fried then cooked in verde sauce; the steak was grilled, the cheese, avocado and cilantro were added, and then it was back to the grill for a fried egg.
The breakfast hot mess burritos may be the most missed.
One fall day he was on the finishing side and noted a regular had put in the order; he took extra care when scooping and placing the avocado and sliced radishes on her burrito bowl.
Things could get spicy in the truck, but Eduardo never lost his cool and worked to keep us all together as a team. God was with us in the truck, he said.
Eduardo and Ana cook Tres Leches pancakes. Photo by Jeanne Brook
His faith never wavered and neither did the fun.
One morning I just missed his salsa dance as he and Ana were doing prep; he was holding full egg flats in each hand.
Late in the summer of 2024, a feral cat found its way from Lighthouse Road to Eduardo’s when the house he was getting fed from was going to be lifted. This cat came with the name Nacho! The staff fed him bits of fish in addition to wet food and treats. He had found his home.
In the fall when things slowed down, Eduardo put his building skills to use and built the nicest Ocracat house on the island.
Eduardo had cooked at other restaurants before starting his taco truck by the Variety Store in 2010.
When Karen Rhodes came on board in 2017, she was able to translate Eduardo’s characters and the Mexican culture into beautiful art that was painted on the truck and on merchandise such as stickers, shirts and hats. In 2019 Hurricane Dorian destroyed the truck, and Eduardo almost gave up. With support from the community and a fundraiser by celebrity chef Vivian Howard, they were able to rebuild in their current location.
Eduardo had quickly become a staple of the community, sponsoring or helping at many various fundraisers and events over the years.
The most recent event was Día de los Muertos, where Ocracoke’s Mexican community invited everyone to honor loved ones and ancestors with an ofrenda (altar) of flowers, candles, photos and favorite foods.
Eduardo brought pan de muerto to the truck that day. He said the bread represents the cycle of life and death.
In October, he organized the sale of different Mexican food dishes to help the people in Hidalgo, Mexico, who had experienced devastating floods. It raised thousands of dollars.
Eduardo and Karen worked with local fishermen to get fresh drum, tuna, bluefish, scallops and shrimp.
One day, mid-week while working from home, I asked my husband to pick up an order of fish tacos.
When he arrived, our fish tacos were handed to him on a huge Mexican styled floral platter. That was pretty special.
Earlier this year, Eduardo announced that this 15th season would be the last.
The partners are ready for change. For new adventures. Eduardo would like to spend time with his mother and kids and family in Mexico. The news hit hard though, and all season there were expressions of sadness as well as appreciation.
With over 13,000 followers on his Facebook page, Eduardo posts engaging messages full of love for his customers and the love flows back.
In the final week he offered two days of enchiladas which had not been on the menu, and as he said, they got their butts kicked with orders.
Leading up to the last week being open, visitors with smiling faces told of how far they’d traveled for their last Eduardo’s meal.
One young man celebrating his birthday said all he wanted was to go to Ocracoke and eat Eduardo’s for each meal.
He and his partner traveled 13 hours round trip. Another man brought his worn Eduardo’s hat to the window and asked him to sign it.
So many stories like this were told, with folks coming to the window wanting to thank Eduardo personally for the wonderful meals and friendship over the years.
Nacho’s fabulous house. Photo by Jeanne Brook
It was evident that Eduardo was grateful, touched and humbled by it all.
In the end I did pick up a bit of Spanish, made some new friends, and gained a great appreciation for the culture and ways of our southern neighbors and their incredible influence and contributions to our country. It was just a taste in the days of the life of Eduardo but enough to trust in our lifetime connection and remembrance of his gifts.
“Estas triste?” (Are you sad?) I asked Eduardo. “Si.”
He said he couldn’t sleep the night before the last day and went into the truck at 3 a.m.
He wanted some quiet time to reflect on the years, the customers that would come that day, the staff who had been his team. “I cried big tears.”
This community is so grateful for the chef that produced authentic Mexican meals full of heart for so many years, and so much more.
Let’s listen to what Eduardo says: “If we ever forget our joy, then we should worry.”
No decisions have been made about what’s next for Eduardo’s food truck.
Birders will fan out all over Ocracoke on Dec. 31 to count the island’s various avian species. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
Note: The Portsmouth Island Christmas Bird Count has been changed and will take place on Jan. 1, 2026
The Ocracoke and Portsmouth Island Christmas Bird Counts (CBC) are planned for Dec. 30 and 31.
These bird census counts held at the end of the year are two of more than 60 counts that take place in North Carolina.
Portsmouth is scheduled for Dec. 30 but may change to Dec. 31 if weather conditions warrant. So, an RSVP is necessary. See contact info below.
This bird-counting tradition began modestly in 1900 and was billed as an alternative to a traditional holiday activity known as the “side hunt.”
This hunt was a competition to see who could shoot as many birds and animals as possible.
Instead, the CBC focused on just counting birds, recording both species and the number of individuals — a means to promote conservation and improve knowledge of bird populations.
It is now a worldwide effort coordinated by the National Audubon Society to encourage people of all ages and skill levels to engage in birdwatching and contribute to citizen science.
The results track bird populations and can help develop conservation strategies.
Last year, the 30 Ocracoke observers fanned throughout the island, which experienced seasonally chilly temperatures, light winds and sunny skies.
It tied a record for the count of 102 tallied species and for only the third time reached up to 100 species.
Novices and seasoned birders are needed. To participate in these counts, contact the compiler, Peter Vankevich: petevankevich@gmail.com, text: 202 468-2871, or message via Facebook.
Double-crested Cormorants. Photo: P. Vankevich/Ocracoke Observer
The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles has temporarily opened a driver license office in Manteo to provide continued service to Outer Banks residents while the Nags Head office undergoes maintenance.
The temporary office is located in the old College of the Albemarle – Dare County campus at 132 Russell Twiford Rd. and will offer express services on a walk-in basis.
That includes renewals and issuing of REAL IDs.
No driving test services will be available at the temporary location.
Operating hours for the temporary office are as follows:
Thursday, Dec. 18: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 19: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 22: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 23: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
All NCDMV offices statewide will be closed Wednesday, Dec. 24, through Friday, Dec. 26, in observance of the Christmas holiday.
The Nags Head Driver License office at 2808 S. Croatan Highway (U.S. Hwy. 158) is scheduled to reopen on Monday, Dec. 29.
“This temporary solution allows us to maintain service in the area during the Nags Head office closure,” said Commissioner Paul Tine. “Thanks to the College of the Albemarle for its partnership and DMV staff for their dedication and hard work in quickly establishing this temporary location.”
Many driver license services, including renewals and duplicates, are also available online at NCDMV.gov.
The sandbag area at Ocracoke’s north end at high tide Nov. 6. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
From our news services
The Ocracoke Access Alliance (OAA) is calling on Gov. Josh Stein to take immediate emergency action to address the escalating threat to North Carolina Highway 12, the sole ground transportation link serving Ocracoke Island.
The Alliance strongly supports recent requests submitted by state Senator Bobby Hanig and Hyde County officials urging Stein to issue a State Disaster Declaration for NC-12.
Such a declaration could unlock critical Federal Highway Administration emergency funds needed to stabilize and protect this vital corridor.
“Ocracoke’s access is at risk, and delays put our community, economy and public safety in jeopardy,” said Justin LeBlanc, executive director of the Ocracoke Access Alliance. “Emergency action is necessary now to ensure safe and reliable access for residents, businesses, and the hundreds of thousands of visitors who depend on NC-12 each year.”
Justin LeBlanc at an Ocracoke community meeting. Photo: P. Vankevich/Ocracoke Observer
The Alliance has formally requested a meeting with Stein to discuss emergency and long-term actions and stands ready to work collaboratively with state leaders to protect NC-12 and the future of Ocracoke Island, LeBlanc said
On Ocracoke, immediate sandbag reinforcement work is currently planned to begin this spring. OAA expressed appreciation to Stein, the North Carolina Department of Transportation, and Highway Division 1 for their continued efforts to keep NC-12 passable under increasingly challenging conditions. The Alliance urged that every possible step be taken to expedite this work.
Beyond emergency stabilization, OAA emphasized the importance of pursuing long-term solutions.
Hyde County Board of Commissioners Chair Randal Mathews identified beach nourishment as a critical next step. Once evaluated, the Alliance urges that the permitting process for beach nourishment move forward without delay.
“The National Park Service already approved a Sediment Management Plan in 2023,” said LeBlanc. “With federal approval in place, we must act swiftly to secure state permits—or appropriate waivers—to fast-track this work before conditions worsen.”
Ocracoke County Commissioner Randal Mathews. Photo: P. Vankevich/Ocracoke Observer
According to NCDOT Highway Division 1, approximately $18 million has been spent since 2019 maintaining NC-12 on Ocracoke alone, underscoring the financial case for larger, more durable investments that could reduce long-term costs and repeated emergency repairs.
OAA also stressed the importance of community involvement as decisions are made about long-term solutions.
“Our residents and business owners live with these challenges every day,” LeBlanc said. “Their experience and insight are essential to identifying solutions that work for both the island and the state.”
The Ocracoke Access Alliance is a nonprofit advocacy organization composed of local businesses and residents dedicated to securing safe, reliable, and efficient access to the island.
The organization focuses on sustainable funding for the North Carolina Ferry System and long-term solutions for recurring NC-12 “hotspots” in both Dare County and on Ocracoke Island.
The NC Weather Forecast Office out of Newport/Morehead City has issued a warning of a cold front that will impact the Outer Banks and mainland eastern Carolina.
Travelers should be wary of these conditions. The high winds may cause a temporary delay in ferry service.
Here is what to expect:
Heavy Rainfall: 1–3” expected; Potential for ponding of water on roadways Thursday night into Friday morning.
Strong Winds: Potential for isolated power outages between Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout where wind gusts are the strongest. A Wind Advisory is in effect for this region.
Coastal Impacts: High surf south of Cape Hatteras may lead to beach erosion and localized overwash on NC Highway 12 through Friday afternoon.
A High Surf Advisory is in effect for this region.
Marine: Hazardous conditions due to strong S/SW winds and large breaking waves.
Gale Warnings in effect for coastal waters south of Oregon Inlet.
