Nor’easter spawned by Ian remnants to bring high winds, coastal flooding to the Outer Banks
The remnants of Hurricane Ian will meet with a low pressure system early this week, bringing high winds, flooding and hazardous marine conditions to the Outer Banks.
The National Weather Service issued a coastal flood warning, a sound-side coastal flood advisory, a wind advisory and a high surf advisory for the Outer Banks Monday through Wednesday, with gale warnings off the coast.
The weather service says low pressure will interact with what’s left of Ian, spawning a new area of deepening low pressure offshore. The nor’easter will bring sustained north winds of 25-35 mph with gusts up to 45 mph, forecasters say. A wind advisory is in effect for the entire Outer Banks from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday.
Dare County Schools announced an early release for all schools on Monday, with staggered dismissal times between 11:30 a.m. and noon.
The coastal flood warning, in effect from noon Monday through 7 p.m. Wednesday, calls for oceanside inundation 2 to 4 feet of above ground.
“Vulnerable oceanfront areas are most at risk and residents and visitors in those areas should be ready to take action to protect property,” Dare County Emergency Management Director Drew Pearson said in a news release.
Ocean overwash flooding is most likely around high tides Monday, and anyone traveling N.C. 12 on Hatteras Island should expect travel impacts. Residents and visitors in Rodanthe, where three vacation homes have fallen in the ocean this year, should expect “significant additional flooding,” Pearson said.
The sound-side coastal flood advisory is in effect from noon Monday to 7 p.m. Wednesday, with 1 to 3 feet of inundation above ground level possible in very low lying areas and roads adjacent to the Albemarle and Pamlico sounds, the weather service said.
Dangerous high surf is also expected, with large breaking waves of 8 to 12 feet expected in the surf zone from Duck to Cape Hatteras.
The Outer Banks experienced high winds and 4 to 6 inches of rain Friday as Hurricane Ian moved through, but escaped serious damage and flooding.
Kari Pugh, kari.pugh@virginiamedia.com
