Sunny days on tap for Outer Banks at last.
The ground is saturated, a few roads are flooded, but after 10 days of showers and downpours, the local forecast is calling for sunny skies for the next few days. Rob Morris, writing for the Outer Banks Voice covers the impact up to 20″ of rain has had on the area.
Flash flood watch continues until noon, but the worst is over
After 15 to 20 inches of rain over the past week and a half, a few more storms could cross the Outer Banks this morning and a flash flood watch is up until noon.
It won’t take much. Standing water, bloated drainage ditches and saturated soil have left rainwater with nowhere to go.
Up to 5 inches of rain Sunday and Monday on top of 9 to 16 inches the week before flooded parking lots and roadways from Hatteras to Carova. High water closed streets and isolated some residents.
But the after a chance of downpours this morning, the National Weather Service forecasts more typical summer weather with partly sunny skies and isolated showers and thunderstorms.
On Monday, the Town of Kill Devil Hills reported problems on the south end of N.C. 12; Wrightsville Avenue and Memorial Avenue near Martin Street; and Shay and Quail lanes west of U.S. 158 toward the Nags Head Woods area.
A little after 1 p.m. Monday the North Carolina Department of Transportation closed N.C. 12 from Atlantic Street north to Calvin Street, and taffic was backing up.
On Roanoke Island, several neighborhoods were flooded, with some houses reportedly inaccessible.
Where septic fields are under water, Dare County’s Environmental Health Supervisor Jack Flythe advised watching water use, such as limiting loads of laundry, until the water recedes. Companies that pump out septic tanks are being cautious. If the ground is saturated, emptying the tanks might cause them to float and cause more damage, Flythe said.
And, he said, be wary of standing water, which is sure to be loaded with bacteria.
Meanwhile, Currituck County says it is seeing progress with efforts to pump flood water from communities on the Outer Banks. Pumping will continue throughout this week in Ocean Sands, Swan Beach, Carova and Whalehead.
About 1,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled into a containment moat at one of the treatment plants in Corolla on Friday. Last week’s rain was being blamed for the spill, as well as issues for many on the Currituck Outer Banks who were having problems with slow draining toilets and sinks.
“Due to heavy rain some roads are flooded. If you can’t see the road, turn around — don’t drown … or ruin your car. What you may think is a driveway or turn may actually be a drainage ditch,” Dare County Emergency Management advised on Twitter.
One of the biggest complaints was motorists plowing through ponding and pushing water onto property. No-wake signs were put up in some spots.
“Please do not drive through the flooded areas. The wake from your vehicle will push water into people’s homes and business. Do everyone a favor and stay off the streets,” the Town of Nags Head tweeted.
Currituck was continuing to use four pumps in the Swan Beach and Carova areas and five pumps in the Oceans Sands area on Tuesday, according to county spokesperson Randall Edwards.
“In the four-wheel drive area, pumps will continue to be moved to problem areas throughout the week,” Edwards said. “And the pumping infrastructure in Whalehead is operating and being monitored by county staff also.”
Edwards added that County Engineer Eric Weatherly, who is overseeing the county’s pumping operations in Corolla, was aware of the flooding issue on N.C. 12 by the Hampton Inn hotel
“That area is supposed to be handled by NCDOT and so far they haven’t contacted him about pumping water over the beach into the ocean,” Edwards said.
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