About 500 feet of NC 12 damaged as nor’easter pounds Outer Banks
OUTER BANKS, NC (WWAY) — A portion of N.C. 12 remains closed on the Outer Banks after a dune breach and severe ocean overwash damaged hundreds of feet of roadway Thursday.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation says N.C. 12 is closed between the Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe.
An initial assessment of the damaged section near the Pea Island Visitor Center found about 500 feet of pavement that was undermined, broken or both, according to NCDOT.
Crews expect to get a better assessment of the damage once the water clears.
The problems began during Thursday morning’s high tide when NCDOT reported a breach in the dune near the Pea Island Visitor Center, causing major ocean overwash.
NCDOT says severe overwash continued in the area Thursday. Water and sand were also reported on N.C. 12 in Ocracoke, Buxton and Hatteras, although those sections remained passable as of the agency’s latest update.
The damage comes as a large, slow-moving nor’easter impacts eastern North Carolina.
The National Weather Service says the storm is producing prolonged gusty north and northeast winds along with dangerous coastal and marine conditions. The greatest impacts are expected along the Outer Banks.
Wind gusts could reach around 50 mph from Cape Hatteras north, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters say the winds could cause minor tree and power line damage and isolated power outages.
Seas north of Cape Hatteras were already reaching 13 to 18 feet Thursday afternoon, with 8- to 12-foot seas south of the cape. Forecasters expect seas to peak around 15 to 20 feet Thursday night.
Those conditions are creating a risk of beach erosion, wave runup, ocean overwash and minor to moderate coastal flooding.
The National Weather Service says surf zone waves of 6 to 8 feet or higher could continue into the weekend. A High Surf Advisory remains in effect through Saturday evening.
NCDOT says similar overwash conditions are possible during the next several high tide cycles.
