A powerful nor'easter battered North Carolina's Outer Banks, where heavy surf and flooding forced the closure of Highway 12 after the critical coastal road cracked.
The destruction from this storm shows how extreme coastal weather can cut off communities and create serious safety risks.
Here's what to know
WRAL reported that high tide breached a dune at the Pea Island Visitor Center, washing ocean water over N.C. 12 and prompting the state Department of Transportation to close the highway from the Basnight Bridge to Rodanthe on Thursday. The agency noted 500 feet of pavement was broken or unsupported.
The system was expected to produce 15- to 18-foot waves along the Outer Banks and 40 to 50 mph wind gusts. Officials warned residents and visitors about dangerous surf, life-threatening rip currents, beach erosion, and soundside flooding near the southern Pamlico Sound, WRAL reported.
Video from an NCDOT camera captured the pavement splitting near the visitor center as a state vehicle tried to get through. NCDOT said an inspection would have to wait, and the road was expected to stay closed.
More background
For residents of Hatteras Island, N.C. 12 is a crucial link to groceries, mail, medical care, and other essential services.
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"Everybody's also worried about Pea Island," Buxton resident Kevin McCabe told WRAL. "That's our lifeline. … All that's compromised."
N.C. 12 has taken repeated hits from overwash and storms for decades. WRAL meteorologist Chris Michaels said nor'easters are common along the East Coast between September and April. The name refers to the northeast winds in a system.
What's being done?
Officials told motorists to stay off the closed section of N.C. 12 until a crew could safely inspect the damage.
Sand and debris may have to be cleaned up, and dunes could require reconstruction. The Hatteras ferry is one way for people affected by the road closure to bring in essential goods and services.
Where can I learn more?
These articles look at how severe weather is straining roads, communities, and infrastructure in North Carolina and beyond.
• In North Carolina, torrential rain opened a 12-foot hole beneath a highway.
• In Western North Carolina, flood danger returned as storms threatened Helene recovery.
• Along vulnerable coasts, wind and surge risks could climb sharply in the coming decades.
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