By admin 
CAPE HATTERAS, N.C. (WNCN) — A section of N.C. 12 along the Outer Banks is closed early Wednesday morning due to the high tide brought on by a coastal storm, the North Carolina Department of Transportation said.
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Just before 6 a.m., NCDOT announced that the high tide breached a dune at the Pea Island Visitor Center, causing ocean overwash in the area.
As a result of the overwash, according to NCDOT, N.C. 12 is closed between the Marc Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe.
“We expect similar conditions over the next several high tide cycles,” NCDOT said in a statement.
Due to the coastal storm developing off the East Coast, the National Weather Service in Newport/Morehead City issued a coastal flood watch for Dare County on Tuesday.
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Officials said the storm’s most significant impacts are expected to take place from Wednesday night to Friday night, including:
- Large waves with dangerous surf conditions, life-threatening rip currents, and beach erosion
- Moderate to strong winds from the north to the northeast with 40 to 50 m.p.h. gusts
- Minor to moderate ocean overwash at vulnerable locations along the Outer Banks, including sections of N.C. 12 on Hatteras Island
- Minor coastal flooding in the south along the southern Pamlico Sound
According to officials, the coastal flood watch is scheduled to expire on Saturday at midnight.
Minor ocean overwash may continue through the weekend with each high tide and additional watches and warnings should be expected from the NWS, according to officials.
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