Wednesday, December 15, 2021
A stalled nor'easter is pushing 2 to 4 feet of flooding onto Hatteras and Ocracoke, with ferries suspended, visitors evacuated and coastal flood concerns running through Thursday.
A slow nor'easter is parked off the North Carolina coast, pushing ocean water onto the Outer Banks for a fourth straight day. The National Weather Service office in Newport/Morehead City now expects significant coastal flooding through Thursday, October 22. Forecasters call it "a long-duration event." Moderate flooding of 2 to 4 feet above ground is likely in exposed spots on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands. The northern Outer Banks could see 1 to 3 feet. Those depths are the forecast as of Monday and could climb with each high tide.
The storm began building on Saturday, October 17, as a non-tropical low formed off the Southeast coast. It has barely moved since. Gusts of 45 to 55 mph have battered the shoreline. Offshore waves have run 15 to 20 feet near Cape Hatteras. The wider storm reaches well past North Carolina. Coastal flood, high surf and gale alerts stretch north through southeastern Virginia and the Delmarva beaches of Maryland and Delaware. Rip currents threaten swimmers from Florida to New England. The National Hurricane Center gives the system about a 30 percent chance of becoming a named storm within seven days. If it does, it would be called Josephine.
Local agencies are already acting. Dare County ordered visitors off Hatteras Island on Friday, though permanent residents were not ordered to leave. The NC Ferry Division suspended every Ocracoke route on Monday morning, including the Hatteras, Swan Quarter and Cedar Island runs. Ocracoke has no bridge, so the island is cut off from the mainland until ferries return. Overwash has reached side streets from Mirlo Beach through Rodanthe, with minor overwash near the Pea Island Visitor Center. NCDOT has warned that N.C. 12, the only highway onto Hatteras Island, could close for days if sand and water bury it. A late-September nor'easter closed the same road for five days.
A storm that stalls changes the math for a coastal household. A one day blow becomes three days or more of high water, and the road out can close behind you. Knowing the steps for surviving a flood matters most on day three, when a familiar road looks passable. Turn around at any water over the pavement. If one highway or one ferry is your only way out, stage a week of water, food and medications before the cold season starts. A flood emergency kit packed in sealed bins stays usable even if the first floor takes on water. Keep the fuel tank above half. A get home bag in the car covers you if a closed road strands you on the wrong side.
Strong onshore wind also brings down limbs and power lines. Charge phones and battery banks while the grid holds. Keep flashlights where you can reach them in the dark. A few minutes spent to prepare for a power outage pays off if the storm lingers into the weekend.
Where it stands now: forecasters expect the low to drift farther offshore and weaken, with gradual improvement starting midweek. A less likely track keeps it closer and stronger, stretching impacts past Thursday. If you live on the Outer Banks or the Delmarva shore, check your county alerts and the NCDOT road and ferry status before every trip. Be Prepared Not Scared!
