Overwash along NC Highway 12 in Outer Banks likely worse as Hurricane Erin moves across Atlantic

Coastal flooding and ocean overwash are likely to peak on Wednesday and Thursday in Dare County due to Hurricane Erin.
Posted 8/20/2025, 5:05:00 PM Updated 8/20/2025, 6:00:10 PM

ALONG THE OUTER BANKS AND RIGHT

HERE COMING UP.

>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU,

ELIZABETH. COASTAL FLOODING IN

OCEAN OVERWATCH IS LIKELY TO

PEAK TODAY AND TOMORROW AND

THEIR COUNTY WRAL. SEAN

GALLAGHER IS LIVE IN RODANTHE

AND THAT'S WHERE SOME PEOPLE

CHOSE TO IGNORE THE EVACUATION

ORDER FOR HATTERAS ISLAND SHOT.

WHAT'S BEHIND THEIR DECISION?

>> YEAH, THOSE FOLKS LIVE ON

THE SOUND SIDE WHERE THEY

REALLY DON'T DEAL WITH A LOT OF

FLOODING UNLESS IT'S A BIG

HURRICANE THAT REALLY HITS US

DIRECTLY. BUT WE'RE STANDING

HERE ON THE COAST SIDE. AS YOU

CAN SEE, THEY'RE DEALING WITH A

LOT OF FLOODING. THIS WERE A

LOT OF TOURISTS TYPICALLY ARE.

AND THIS WATER YOU CAN SEE

COMES FROM BETWEEN THE HOMES OF

WATER FINDING ITS WAY OVER THE

BANKS AND FLOODING OUT HERE.

BUT IF YOU THINK THIS LOOKS

BAD, JUST A LITTLE FARTHER

SOUTH, THEY'RE GETTING PUMMELED

WITH WAVES IN PLACES LIKE

BUXTON. CHECK OUT THIS PHOTO.

WE GOT THIS MORNING. IT WAS

JUST AFTER HIGH TIDE. THOSE

WAYS EASILY BREACHING SANDBAGS

PUT IN PLACE TO PROTECT THOSE

HOMES THAT ARE JUST SO CLOSE TO

THE WATER. AND THEN THERE'S

DRONE FOOTAGE FROM JENNY KUHN

SAYS, WELL SHOWING HOW POWERFUL

THE WAVES WERE DURING HIGH

TIDE. AND OFFICIALS SAY IT'S

ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE WITH

EACH HIGH TIDE FOR THE NEXT

COUPLE OF DAYS. BUT THE LOCAL

STORE CHOOSING TO RIDE IT OUT,

SAY THERE'S A BIG REASON WHY.

>> YOU DON'T WANT TO GET STUCK

ON THE OTHER SIDE AND NOT BE

ABLE TO GET BACK TO YOUR STUFF

THAT YOU'RE FORCED TO LIE

EITHER. STAY WITH FRIENDS OR

HOTELS AND THEN YOU'RE FORCED

TO.

ID 3 MEALS A DAY OUT FOR YOU,

YOUR FAMILY, WHOEVER YOU HAVE

SO. WE RIDE IT OUT FOR THAT.

>> AND GRAHAM TELLS ME THEY

ALSO STAY TO PROTECT THEIR

STUFF, ENSURING THAT IT GETS TO

HIGHER GROUND. AND YOU CAN SEE

THEY'VE GOT FRONT-END LOADERS

HERE THAT ARE HERE TO TRY AND

REINFORCE THE AREA'S AS BEST

THEY CAN IN PREPARATION FOR THE

HIGH TIDES THAT ARE TO COME

THIS EVENING AND TOMORROW AND

OFFICIALS SAY IT'S THOSE LATER

HIGH TIDES THAT ARE PROBABLY

GOING TO BE WORSE THAN THE

MORNING WANTS FROM WHAT THEY

SHOW ONLINE. IT'S ABOUT 40%

HIGHER. SO EVERYBODY HERE

GEARING UP FOR WHAT'S TO COME

IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS. BUT FOR