OUTER BANKS, N.C. — Communities on the Outer Banks are getting ready for a storm that is coming up along the coast of North Carolina. The storm could cause major floods and the collapse of more homes in Rodanthe into the Atlantic Ocean.
The North Carolina Department of Emergency Management says that along the coast of North Carolina, south of Ocracoke Inlet, there is a tropical storm warning. The warning area is likely to have the strongest wind gusts, between 40 and 50 mph, from possible tropical cyclone eight. Small craft warnings are also out for the Outer Banks, and the risk of tornadoes has grown in the far eastern part of North Carolina.
A low-pressure system is coming from the south, and King Tides are coming. These are higher than usual tides because the full moon is closer to Earth than normal.
People are being asked by Cape Hatteras National Seashore to stay away from the northern end of Ocracoke Island on Monday evening during high tide. It was said that the Avon Fishing Pier would be closed for most of Monday to make sure that everything is safe.
Rodanthe is also getting hit by waves, and some homes there are still in danger of being washed away by the water.
A house in Rodanthe was swept away by the Atlantic Ocean last month after Hurricane Ernesto’s waves hit the water hundreds of miles off the coast of Bermuda. In the last four years, the Atlantic has sunk seven homes.
The manager of Cape Hatteras National Seashore is very interested in what happens in Rodanthe over the next few days.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore Superintendent Dave Hallac said, “We’re worried that they might fall down or that one of them might fall down.
If that happens, there could be a big debris field and the beach might not be as good.” “Those houses are in the water even when the tide is low, and the waves hit their pilings every time the waves go by and then come back to shore.”
Andy Fox of 10 On Your Side said on Monday afternoon that the stairs in five homes have been washed away because the tides are higher than normal.
Glenn Maurer from Pennsylvania said, “The architecture is beautiful, but Mother Nature is finally going to take it back.” “That’s how the world works.”
For years, Julie Wilkerson from Chesapeake has been going to Rodanthe. She said she has seen the changes and they are not good.
Williamson said, “We’ve been coming here our whole lives.” “I remember the dunes being three or four stories high. Now that I see them, they’re kind of giving way.” It’s very sad.
As of Monday afternoon, there was some uncertainty about the rain prediction. However, a flood watch is still in place for most of central and eastern North Carolina until Tuesday afternoon. How much rain falls will depend on where the storm goes and how strong it is, but Monday and Tuesday are likely to have the most rain.
From 8 a.m. Monday to 8 a.m. Tuesday, the National Weather Service says it will rain a total of 24 hours. On Tuesday, it will rain about 1.5 inches in Hatteras and just under an inch in Manteo and Elizabeth City. It’s going to rain 1.5 to 2 inches in Kill Devil Hills, 2 to 3 inches in Rodanthe, and 3 to 4 inches in Frisco and Ocracoke through Tuesday night.
The southeast coast of North Carolina is expected to get more than five inches of rain.
For example, near the Pea Island Visitor Center, north of Buxton, north of Hatteras, and on Ocracoke, NC 12 had standing water and blown sand on it this morning. The road was open and usable, though. People in North Carolina were asked to slow down and give them space to work.
“We want people to remember to slow down,” NCDOT spokesman Tim Haas said. “There will be sand and water on the road, and crews will be working on the road, so the best advice I can give is to slow down.”
Amanda Vazquez, who is from Pennsylvania and is touring the Rodanthe area, said, “This is amazing.” “I can’t say anything.” It’s interesting to see, but I feel bad for the homes.