Outer Banks areas closed amid concerns NC beach homes could ‘break apart or collapse’; coastal flood warning issued

MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (WNCN) — Although future Hurricane Imelda is forecast to stay off the North Carolina coast, officials at the Outer Banks have closed an entire stretch of beach over concerns oceanfront homes “may break apart or collapse” from high surf, flooding and rough seas from the storm.

As of 8 p.m. Monday, Imelda was still a tropical storm with sustained winds of 65 mph, but the storm is forecast to become a hurricane Tuesday morning, the National Hurricane Center said. Imelda was 200 miles east of Cape Canaveral and was moving north at 9 mph.

There will still be Imelda impacts on the North Carolina coast with coastal flood warnings for areas of the Outer Banks and parts of Carteret County, the National Weather Service said.

Large breaking waves of 6 to 8 feet — later building to 10 to 12 feet — are forecast in Ocracoke Island and Hatteras Island and in areas of Carteret County, the weather service said. A beach house collapsed into the ocean in Buxton less than two weeks ago.

Flooding along the coast is expected, with 2 to 3 feet of water expected in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways, the Morehead City office of the National Weather Service said.

“Portions of N.C. 12 may be impassable at times due to ocean overwash, especially around times of high tide,” Morehead City forecasters said. Soundside flooding is also expected, with the “greatest impacts expected in Downeast Carteret County.”

The Cape Hatteras National Seashore is closed in northern Rodanthe, and all of the beach in Buxton is also closed, the National Park Service said.

“These closures are in place because of dozens of threatened oceanfront structures that may break apart or collapse, releasing hazardous debris into the water and onto beaches,” Cape Hatteras National Seashore officials said.

A high surf advisory was also issued by the National Weather Service.

“Visitors should avoid entering the water on ocean-facing beaches this week until conditions improve,” Cape Hatteras Seashore officials said. “Dangerous shore break and rip currents are expected and may result in life-threatening ocean conditions.”

Flooding along the coast will be worse around high tide times, with officials telling residents to avoid travel for at least one hour before and after high tide.

The coastal flood warning is from 11 a.m. Tuesday to 8 p.m. Friday, while the high surf advisory is now active until 8 a.m. Saturday, the National Weather Service said.