As visitors go, Hurricane Dorian is not the kind we like on the Outer Banks. The best we can say for him is he's not going to hang around for very long.
Unfortunately his visit is pretty miserable.
Here on the northern Outer Banks where are Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associates homes are, we're getting hit with some very heavy rains and some good very strong tropical storm force winds. The hourly forecasts that we've been reviewing indicate the worst of Dorian will be happening about midmorning until noon tomorrow.
That's when the winds will be the strongest—50-55 mph. And that will be sustained for about four hours. Not very pleasant...actually downright unpleasant...but we should get through it just fine.
The current prediction is for a 4-7' storm surge along the oceanfront. That level of surge coupled with waves up to 12' in the surf zone means there will be overwash and the Beach Road will probably be impassible for a day or so.
We could be wrong on that. In Dare County the beaches have been nourished and beach nourishment does do a very good job of protecting homes and infrastructure, but there is s limit to how much it can do.
On the northern Outer Banks we're doing ok, although we would certainly be doing better if Dorian was not paying us a visit.
Down on Hatteras Island, though, it looks like it's going to be a different story.
With little deviation, the forecast track of Dorian for the past 24 hours has the eye of the hurricane clipping Hatteras Island. The latest track places the eye over Buxton tomorrow morning.
The good news—or at least what passes for good new in this situation—is that Dorian is picking up speed. The last report we had was that the storm was moving NNE at 13 knots or 15mph. The forecasts are all in good agreement that the acceleration will continue, Dorian will be here an gone relatively quickly.
We'll have to see what emergency management says, but hopefully our visitors—the ones we son enjoy hosting—will be back on the Outer Banks next week.
