Public Safety · Carteret County
King Tides Flood NC Coastal Roads; Next Expected Nov. 23-27
King tides driven by lunar perigee flooded roads along North Carolina's Outer Banks and Crystal Coast from Monday through Thursday, with the most visible impacts in Morehead City, Carteret County, and near Pea Island on Hatteras Island. The elevated tides delayed N.C. Department of Transportation repairs to N.C. 12 at Pea Island, which had already been paused after a nor'easter earlier in October. A 2025 UNC Chapel Hill study found roads in Carteret County flood more frequently than federal tide gauges report, tracking 128 flooding days per year in Sea Level alone. The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission reported in 2024 that sea levels are on track to rise one foot by 2050 compared to 2000 levels. Another king tide is expected Nov. 23-27, according to the National Weather Service's Newport office.