Major road reopens in Outer Banks as rain nears central NC

Rodanthe, N.C. — A portion of N.C. Highway 12, the main route through the Outer Banks, reopened at noon on Thursday. The road had been closed since Tuesday due to overwash.

According to the state Department of Transportation, crews have been working to clear sand and water from the road while reconstructing protective dunes between Oregon Inlet and the village of Rodanthe.

"Motorists should be aware that while passable, there will be areas of the highway with standing water and sand on the road," the NCDOT said in a release. "Drivers should exercise extreme caution and slow down when traveling through those areas. In addition, there is still a possibility that this afternoon’s high tide, at approximately 5:15 p.m., may require another closure if major overwash occurs."

A Twitter post from earlier in the week showed the impact a low pressure system sitting off North Carolina's coast had on beaches, which have experienced rip currents, erosion and gusty winds throughout the week.

Earlier this week, wave heights up to 15 feet were possible and a rip current risk was in place for the coast.

The coastal low is now moving inland, bringing a chance for rain to central N.C. late Thursday and Friday while conditions toward the coast improve.

WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said scattered showers are possible in the Triangle will begin Thursday afternoon and evening, but more rain will move in Friday and Saturday.