Local State of Emergency Issued for All Areas of Dare County; Mandatory Evacuation Order Issued for Hatteras Island
Dare County’s Senior Leaders gathered this afternoon (Sunday, August 17, 2025) to receive a briefing from the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Newport/Morehead City, N.C. While Hurricane Erin is expected to stay well off our coast, the system will continue to increase in size and is forecast to bring life-threatening impacts to the Dare County coastline.
A Coastal Flood Watch has already been issued for Dare County. Coastal flooding and ocean overwash are expected to begin as early as Tuesday, August 19, 2025 and continue through Thursday, August 21, 2025. Portions of N.C. Highway 12 on Hatteras Island will likely be impassable for several days.
A State of Emergency declaration has been issued for all areas of Dare County, effective on Sunday, August 17, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.
A Mandatory Evacuation has been issued for Hatteras Island (Zone A) as follows. (Zone A includes all of Hatteras Island, including the unincorporated villages of Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco, and Hatteras.)*
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Hatteras Island Mandatory Visitor Evacuation (Zone A): All visitors in Hurricane Evacuation Zone A must evacuate beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, August 18, 2025.
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Hatteras Island Mandatory Resident Evacuation (Zone A): All residents in Hurricane Evacuation Zone A must evacuate beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 19, 2025.
Now is the time to make final preparations, secure property, evacuate with all personal belongings and follow instructions from your property management company.
*§ 42A-36. Mandatory evacuations: If State or local authorities, acting pursuant to Article 1A of Chapter 166A of the General Statutes, order a mandatory evacuation of an area that includes the residential property subject to a vacation rental, the tenant under the vacation rental agreement, whether in possession of the property or not, shall comply with the evacuation order.
Evacuation Routes:
Those who are evacuating to areas north of Dare County are encouraged to travel westbound on Highway 64 to Interstate 95. Evacuating through the rural areas to the west of Dare County will help avoid traffic backups and congestion that may prolong evacuation by traveling northbound through the Hampton Roads portion of Virginia. For more information about Dare County’s two evacuation routes, please visit www.DareNC.gov/Evacuation.
Anticipated Impacts:
The National Weather Service at Newport/Morehead City, N.C. has indicated that coastal flooding may begin with the evening high tide on Tuesday, August 19, 2025.
The Coastal Flood Watch indicates that extreme beach erosion and coastal damage is likely along the oceanside, resulting in a significant threat to life and property. Large, dangerous waves will likely inundate and destroy protective dune structures. Severe flooding will likely extend inland where there is vulnerable or no protective dune structure, flooding homes and businesses with some structural damage possible. Roads will likely be impassable under several feet of water and vehicles will likely be submerged.
The High Surf Advisory indicates large breaking waves of 15-20-plus feet should be expected in the surf zone. Life-threatening swimming and surfing conditions are expected, as well as wave action resulting in significant beach erosion.
 To view the latest weather briefing from the National Weather Service at Newport/Morehead City, N.C., please click the button below.
Swimming Prohibition (Countywide):
Life-threatening rip currents are expected throughout much of the week. The surf will be extremely hazardous due to large breaking waves, with the most dangerous conditions expected Wednesday, August 20, 2025, into Thursday, August 21, 2025.
Due to life-threatening ocean conditions, no one may enter the waters of the Atlantic Ocean anywhere in Dare County when double red flags are posted by Ocean Rescue agencies. This includes swimming with or without flotation devices, rafts, or other aids.
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Surfing Exception: Entry with a surfboard is permitted. A surfboard is defined as a fiberglass and foam combination at least five feet in length, having a minimum of one fin, and used in conjunction with a leash.
Special Medical Needs Registry:
If you or someone you know has special medical needs and may need assistance during an emergency or evacuation, please call the Dare County Department of Health & Human Services’ Social Services Division at 252-475-5500 to register for the Special Medical Needs Registry. Offices are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. For more information, please visit DareNC.gov/SpecialNeeds.
Stay Informed & Prepared:
Sign Up for Local Alerts:
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Emergency Alerts: Sign up to receive customized alerts—including severe weather watches and warnings, evacuation orders, and other time-critical notifications—at www.OBXAlerts.com
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Beach & Ocean Conditions: Get daily beach condition updates via text by texting “OBXBeachConditions” to 77295. For rip current safety, red flag warnings, and more, visit www.LoveTheBeachRespectTheOcean.org
Dare County Emergency Management will continue to issue periodic updates, with the next update scheduled no later than Monday, August 18 at 4:00 p.m.
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