Outer Banks Coverage

Baby whale stranded on OBX beach disappeared overnight

A team of experts lost track of a baby Sei whale that washed up on shore at Kitty Hawk this week.

Outer Banks homes at risk, funds to build back beaches in Rodanthe run out

Dare County leaders said communities are at risk from coastal erosion, but state law is holding them back from finding potential solutions.

'It's reaching a crisis point': Outer Banks leaders say they're out of funding to save threatened beach communities

Dare County leaders said communities are at risk from coastal erosion, but state law is holding them back from finding potential solutions.

Keenan Willard, WRAL eastern North Carolina reporter

Outer Banks homes keep falling into the ocean, and septic tanks causing issues

Millions watched the videos of a house falling into the Atlantic Ocean in May, the third this year, but now several more houses in Rodanthe on the Outer Banks are in danger of meeting the same fate.

Stacia Strong, North Carolina Coastal Federation

Families share memories after beloved 1960s 'Spaceship' in Outer Banks burns down

A beloved piece of Outer Banks history burned Wednesday night.

Jessica Patrick, WRAL senior multiplatform producer

Swarm of jellyfish wash ashore on Ocracoke Island

It's a "jellyfish jamboree" at Ocracoke Island this week after hundreds of cannonball jellyfish washed ashore.

Body found hours after glider crash at Outer Banks

One person died when an ultralight aircraft crashed in the ocean on Wednesday at the Outer Banks.

More fecal bacteria in oceans after storms

North Carolina's beaches could be brimming with bacteria due to aging infrastructure. Researchers at the Institute of Marine Sciences in Morehead City said they are seeing more fecal matter indicator bacteria in ocean water.

Beachgoers beware: Climate change may be increasing fecal bacteria at North Carolina beaches

Aging storm drains along the east coast are further deteriorating due to rising sea levels and higher high tides that push saltwater into the pipes, corroding them and mixing sewage with stormwater runoff.

Liz McLaughlin, WRAL climate change reporter

Former post office a distinct Outer Banks landmark

It's a tiny little building on the Outer Banks that was once the smallest operating post office in the nation. Today, it's been replaced by a modern post office, but the old building remains a small but distinct Outer Banks landmark.

'King tides' this week may foreshadow norms of the future as sea level rises

When the moon is new or full and closest to Earth, the coast experiences "king tides."

Liz McLaughlin, WRAL climate reporter

Explaining the impact of king tides along the Carolina coast

The last king tide of 2022 is set to end Friday.

Baby birds nest on OBX

Cape Hatteras National Parks Service officials posted pictures on the park's Instagram of newly hatched chicks at the coast.

'She was pretty exhausted and hot': NPS workers help disoriented sea turtle

Cape Lookout National Seashore workers helped a disoriented loggerhead sea turtle return to the water.

Mark Bergin, WRAL senior multiplatform producer

Loggerhead sea turtle returns to the water at Cape Lookout National Seashore

Workers with the National Park Service's Cape Lookout National Seashore helped a loggerhead sea turtle in need on Thursday. Video courtesy of Cape Lookout National Seashore

Visitors concerned possible offshore wind construction will drive tourists away from Morehead City

Radio Island is a mostly untouched stretch of beach near the heart of Morehead City. But much of the area could be paved over as the state looks to the future of wind energy.

Keenan Willard, WRAL eastern North Carolina reporter

Cleanup crews from other states come to Outer Banks after homes destroyed in Rodanthe

Volunteers, cleanup groups and concerned citizens are helping clean up part of the Outer Banks after two homes collapsed in Rodanthe.

Some Outer Banks beaches shrinking by more than 14 feet per year

Federal officials say that sea levels in the area have risen roughly 1 inch every five years, with climate change being one key reason. State officials say that some Outer Banks beaches are shrinking more than 14 feet per year in some areas.

Richard Fausset, New York Times

Scientists: Climate change contributing to problems at the Outer Banks

Scientists say headlines of houses being eaten by the Atlantic ocean and roads blocked by sand and surf could become more common due to climate change.

'It's happening now': Environmental expert talks moving forward at the coast

Dr. Reide Corbett with the Coastal Studies Institute says this kind of erosion nothing new on the Outer Banks.

Weathering the storm: Homes collapsing on Outer Banks a reminder of NC coast's uncertain future

The state has long championed its coastline for its natural beauty and scenic views, but between factors like rising sea levels, hurricanes and erosion, the environment is a valid concern for people trying to build a life there.

Keenan Willard, WRAL eastern North Carolina reporter

House collapses into ocean in Rodanthe

A house collapses into the sea as the Outer Banks experiences beach erosion, rip currents and overwash. Video courtesy of Donny Bowers.

Another Outer Banks house collapses; sea level rise due to climate change likely to make problems worse

As the Outer Banks experiences beach erosion, rip currents and overwash, which closed a segment of N.C. Highway 12 on Tuesday, another seaside house has collapsed.

Rip currents, erosion, rain in Outer Banks

A low pressure system off North Carolina's coast is impacting our weather in central N.C. and along our beaches, where wave heights up to 15 feet are possible and a rip current risk is in place.

Major road reopens in Outer Banks as rain nears central NC

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.