Hatteras Island Still Closed to Visitors; Ocracoke Ferries Suspended
Coastal flood warnings for 2 to 4 feet of water run through Tuesday, and surf of 9 to 14 feet through Thursday morning.
Hatteras Island remains closed to non-resident visitors under Dare County's state of emergency and evacuation order, Cape Hatteras National Seashore said Sunday, and Ocracoke Island cannot be reached because all ferry service from Hatteras Island, Swan Quarter and Cedar Island is suspended.
All seashore campgrounds, off-road vehicle routes and lighthouse climbing stay closed. Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Wright Brothers National Memorial reopen at 9 a.m. Monday, October 19, and other facilities on the northern beaches are on their regular seasonal schedules.
The Weather Service now has coastal flood warnings for Hatteras and Ocracoke islands until 5 p.m. Tuesday, for 2 to 4 feet of water above ground in low-lying areas near the shoreline and sounds. The high surf advisory runs until 6 a.m. Thursday, with breakers of 9 to 14 feet on Hatteras Island, 9 to 12 feet on the Northern Outer Banks and 6 to 9 feet on Ocracoke. Virginia Beach and eastern Currituck County have 8 to 14 feet through Wednesday evening.
The park repeats its warning about the compromised oceanfront houses in Rodanthe: if one collapses, avoid the site and the beach and water downwind of it. Road conditions are on drivenc.gov.
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