Heavy Rain and Wind Will Make for Dangerous Conditions This Weekend

Extremely heavy rains combined with high coastal water levels, storm surge and flooding are expected to cause dangerous and life threatening conditions this weekend on the Outer Banks.  The National Weather Service is highly discouraging travel across northeastern North Carolina this weekend.  Travel to the area should be postponed until conditions improve.

Rainfall is predicted to intensify throughout the day and combine with sustained winds up to 55 mph causing dangerous travel conditions through Sunday.  In the event winds exceed 50 mph, ambulance crews may not be able to respond to calls for help.

The National Weather Service indicates that soundside flooding of up to 4 feet above ground is possible for areas prone to flooding, primarily on Hatteras Island.  The combination of storm surge and flooding from the ocean and the sounds will combine with heavy rains to cause conditions that should be taken seriously.

As conditions deteriorate, road closures and travel restrictions are anticipated in Dare County, particularly for portions of Highway 12 on Hatteras Island.

Dare County Emergency Management urges everyone to closely monitor the storm because conditions could worsen and intensify based on the track of Hurricane Matthew.

All residents and visitors are advised to heed the following warnings –

  • If you are in a low-lying area, or an area prone to flooding, relocate to higher ground. This is especially important for those with special medical needs.
  • Residents in low-lying areas should take action to protect personal property by moving to higher ground.  This includes vehicles.
  • Immediately complete your disaster preparedness kits and other safety preparations including securing all outdoor items such as trash cans and lawn furniture.
  • Stay out of the ocean due to the high threat of rip currents and rough seas.
  • Monitor trusted sources of information for life saving alerts. NOAA Weather Radio is an excellent resource for emergency alerts.

For information regarding road conditions and closures, visit tims.ncdot.gov/tims. For the most up to date information regarding the status of NC12, visitwww.facebook.com/NCDOTNC12.

National Park Service

The National Park Service reports that all visitor services and facilities at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, and Wright Brothers National Memorial remain closed until further notice.

For Additional Information –

To receive email updates directly from Dare County Emergency Management, register online at www.darecountyem.com and follow @DareCountyEM on Twitter.

To stay up to date with the latest weather and traffic conditions in Dare County, download the free Ready NC App at www.readync.org.

View the latest watches, warnings and advisories from the National Weather Service at www.weather.gov/mhx.

Residents and visitors can contact Dare County Emergency Management by calling 252.475.5655 or visiting www.darenc.com for updated information.

The next Bulletin will be released by 4:00 p.m. Saturday, October 8, 2016