Storm Surge/Tide — Hatteras Island, North Carolina

2025-08-20 to 2025-08-22 · Hatteras Island, North Carolina

Event narrative

Major ocean overwash and surge occurred for several days on Hatteras Island. Hatteras Island was under a mandatory evacuation for visitors and residents several days before significant impacts were noted. Some overwash occurred during the high tide cycle on the afternoon of August 19th as distant swell began impacting the Outer Banks. As the storm moved closer, overwash became significant on August 20th, and completely inundated Highway 12 in several sections on Hatteras Island for several days. Areas that became impassable due to severe ocean overwash include near Hatteras Village, Buxton, and the Pea Island Visitor Center area. Highway 12 on Hatteras Island did not fully reopen until noon on Saturday, August 23rd. The surge and overwash peaked on August 21st, as Erin made her closest approach to Cape Hatteras. Damages sustained to properties during the storm were primarily due to storm surge and ocean overwash. The damage was localized to the districts of Rodanthe and Buxton primarily along the oceanfront, with Buxton sustaining the more substantial damage. In Buxton, preliminary damage assessments from the county found damage to 56 residential structures and 4 commercial structures including driveways, parking lots, as well as septic systems and pipes. It should be noted that some minor sound side flooding also Occurred on Hatteras Island due to the northerly tropical storm force winds on the morning of August 21st, but no significant impacts occurred on the sound side.

Wider weather episode

Hurricane Erin made its closest approach to the North Carolina coast during the morning hours of Thursday, August 21st, 2025 as a category 2. While the center of Erin remained around 200 miles east of Cape Hatteras, Erin was so large that damaging ocean overwash and storm surge impacted Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands, and caused additional minor ocean overwash along ocean areas to the north and to the south, and minor soundside flooding on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands, as well as Downeast Carteret County. According to the National Hurricane Center, Erin was one of the largest hurricanes on record. Additional impacts included dangerous rip currents on Eastern NC beaches, and tropical storm force gusts along the Outer Banks. Erin brought no rainfall or tornado impacts.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1291193. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.