[REVISION HISTORY]

North Carolina coastal storm and road damage

Updated 10 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-21 16:06 UTC → 2026-10-23 06:23 UTC · added ~~removed~~

A ~~slow-moving nor’easter~~ series of nor’easters has caused significant coastal flooding, ocean overwash, and ~~road~~ structural damage across North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The ~~storm resulted in the closure of sections~~ storms undermined approximately 244 meters of ~~N.C. 12, specifically a 500-foot stretch between~~ pavement near the ~~Marc Basnight Bridge~~ Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center and ~~Rodanthe where extreme tides undermined the pavement. Additionally, the North Carolina Department~~ destroyed over 550 meters of ~~Transportation (NCDOT)~~ protective dunes. Significant damage was also reported ~~severe overwash~~ on Ocracoke Island and ~~soundside flooding in Hatteras Village, which led to~~ between the ~~temporary suspension of most ferry routes. Hatteras Island~~ Marc Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe. N.C. Highway 12 remains ~~under a state of emergency as the highway closure leaves the island without~~ heavily impacted, with closures affecting land access to ~~the mainland.~~ Hatteras Island. To maintain the movement of essential supplies, emergency personnel, and residents, the NCDOT Ferry Division ~~launched an~~ has implemented a 24-hour emergency ferry service between Stumpy Point on the mainland and Rodanthe. This specific emergency route is being utilized for the first time since December 2013. Under a Dare County ~~Emergency Declaration,~~ emergency declaration, access to the island is restricted via a priority reentry ~~system. As of Tuesday afternoon, NCDOT officials have reopened a section of N.C. 12 on Pea Island~~ system; entry is limited to essential government and medical workers, permanent residents, and critical business personnel, while visitors are currently prohibited from using ~~a temporary one-lane gravel road~~ the ferry service to ~~provide northbound access for travelers leaving Hatteras Island. As of Monday afternoon, overwash has reached~~ enter the ~~Pea Island Visitor Center and~~ island. In response to the ~~northern end~~ consecutive coastal storms, Governor Josh Stein has declared a state of ~~Ocracoke Island due to strong northeast winds~~ emergency in Dare and ~~beach erosion.~~ Hyde counties. The ~~National Weather Service warns that high tide cycles through Thursday, October 22, could bring water levels reaching “2~~ Governor is seeking emergency relief funding from the Federal Highway Administration to ~~4 feet above ground level,” posing risks of additional flooding, highway closures,~~ support immediate repairs and long-term resilience solutions for the ~~potential collapse of vulnerable oceanfront homes, particularly in Rodanthe.~~ highway. NCDOT ~~continues~~ crews continue to ~~clear wind-blown sand from roadways and reinforce protective dunes near Pea Island. Access~~ monitor the situation as they await receding water levels to ~~Hatteras Island remains restricted for visitors,~~ fully assess the extent of the damage and establish a ~~travel advisory is in effect for Ocracoke to prevent isolation. As the storm intensifies, mandatory evacuations have been issued~~ timeline for ~~Hatteras Island due to ocean overwash.~~ permanent repairs.

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