N.C. 12 remains closed to Hatteras Island as emergency ferries run and forecasters warn of 6- to 8-foot surf

As of 3:55 p.m. ET, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026

N.C. Highway 12 remained closed Saturday between the Marc Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe on North Carolina's Outer Banks, the National Weather Service said, as the state ran emergency ferries to Hatteras Island and forecasters warned of more ocean overwash.

The weather service's Newport/Morehead City office issued a high surf advisory for Hatteras Island through midnight Saturday, warning of large breaking waves of 6 to 8 feet in the surf zone. A coastal flood advisory calling for 1 to 2 feet of inundation in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways runs until noon Tuesday, and a beach hazards statement warns of dangerous rip currents.

"Ocean overwash impacts will continue through at least Tuesday, especially around high tide, in areas where dunes have been compromised," the advisory says. It says tide levels will keep rising with a king tide cycle through the coming work week, peaking Tuesday and Wednesday. "Swimmers should remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions," the weather service said.

Similar high surf and coastal flood advisories are in effect for the northern Outer Banks, and coastal flood advisories cover Ocracoke Island and parts of Carteret, Onslow, Pamlico and Craven counties, according to the weather service.

Road damage

The road was closed Tuesday evening because of ocean overwash and was then damaged overnight when waves undermined the pavement at the Pea Island Visitor Center, the N.C. Department of Transportation said in a release Thursday. Crews estimated that about 800 feet of pavement was damaged, and they were restoring more than 1,800 feet of protective dunes and clearing blown sand in the nearby Canal Zone, the department said.

"There is no timeline for reopening the road on Pea Island," NCDOT said. Additional high tide cycles and overwash must subside before the department can fully assess the damage and decide what repairs are needed, it said.

Emergency ferries

NCDOT's Ferry Division is running 24-hour emergency ferry service between Stumpy Point on the mainland and Rodanthe, using three boats on a trip of about two hours each way, the department said. It is the second time since late September that the emergency route has been activated, according to NCDOT.

Under Dare County's reentry restrictions, only essential personnel, permanent Dare County residents, critical business vendors, nonresident Hatteras Island property owners and employees of Hatteras Island businesses are allowed on Rodanthe-bound ferries, and visitors are not, NCDOT said. "Ferry space is limited, and travelers should expect long lines and significant delays," the department said.

What is not known

When N.C. 12 will reopen is not known.