N.C. 12 shutdown by overwash at Mirlo Beach, high surf continues through Sunday

Surf of 6-to-9 feet has been breaking at Rodanthe Pier on Saturday. [OBXSurfInfo.com]

High surf from a distant nor’easter and gusty onshore winds has pushed overwash across N.C. 12 at Mirlo Beach, and the road was closed between Oregon Inlet and Rodanthe Saturday evening.

A low pressure system that crossed the Outer Banks earlier this week stalled off the coast of New England, and coupled with high pressure building over the mid-Atlantic, and northerly winds have brought breaking surf of 6 to 9 feet from Carova to Buxton.

The National Weather Service office at Newport/Morehead City said the best chance for overwash was during  Saturday evening’s high tide around 6 p.m.

A coastal flood advisory is in effect until 10 p.m. Saturday, but forecasters said it may be extended into Sunday morning with the next high tide around 6 a.m. The east-facing beaches remain under a high surf advisory until Sunday night.

While the main overwash issues have been at S-Turns just north of Rodanthe, where a 60-to-80 foot long dune breech on Wednesday shut down travel into Thursday morning, seawater was again pouring through the Ocean View Drive area of Avon and at the motels in Buxton.

Some overwash was crossing N.C. 12 at the motels in Buxton on Saturday evening. [NCDOT camera]

The weather service said current trends point to winds and waves over the open ocean starting to drop off as the distant nor’easter moves farther out into the North Atlantic over the next 24 hours.

National Weather Service forecast for Nags Head, as of Saturday 6 p.m.:

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. North wind 11 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 58. North wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 16 mph.
Sunday Night
A slight chance of showers after 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. Southeast wind around 8 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 70. Southwest wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Monday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
A chance of showers after 8am. Partly sunny, with a high near 72. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Tuesday Night
A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 76.
Wednesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 58.
Sunny, with a high near 72.
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 53.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.
Friday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 53.
Partly sunny, with a high near 62. Breezy.

 

This story originally appeared on OBXToday.com. Read More local stories here.

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