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My fiance and I want to spend a week on Ocracoke Island for our honeymoon, after we're married in September of 2014. I've been there once before, but it was over 10 years ago and during the summer.
I was wondering if any residents or frequent visitors could tell me how bad the hurricane season really gets. We don't mind rain and a little wind, or even thunderstorms. In fact, we love those things. We don't want to be washed away, though. Does Ocracoke usually get hit pretty hard? Is it evacuated often during the hurricane season? I've tried my luck with Google but I'm having trouble finding specifics. The only info I could find was that Hurricane Sandy flooded the main roadway some. But is this typical?
If a hurricane passes the close to Outer Banks during a hurricane, you will be told to evacuate. In that case you should as your life is in danger. You should have a Plan B on where to go inland. Hurricanes are way more serious than rain and a little wind. Floods can wash over the island, and debris flying at 80 miles per hour can kill you.
However, nobody can predict when a hurricane will happen. If the wedding is in the last half of September, hurricanes are usually rare. Remember the Jamaican verse: "September, All Over".
If the wedding is in the first half, I'd still go to Ocracoke, but I'd have a contingency plan, and I would evacuate when they tell you to. That will mean a long, slow car trek off the islands.
BTW, Irene in 2011 washed out the main roadway, and it took over 6 months to repair. Everyone was told to evacuate the Outer Banks.
Last edited by goldenage1; 06-25-2013 at 06:06 AM..
The thing about Hurricanes just like most weather you cant predict where and when. Especially this far ahead.
Best thing for you to do is get vacation rental insurance because historically September is when this state gets hurricanes- tropical systems.
This state will issue if needed a mandatory evacuation if the OBX is in the cone of a possible hurricane with plenty of time to leave the island.
You really dont want to ride it out either. It is island so yes flooding will occur and the wind will cover the roads with sand and the power might be out for weeks.
Last year Sandy hit the OBX in October, the year before Irene hit the last week of August.
There is also years of no hurricanes or tropical systems.
There is no way to predict if this state will get a hurricane especially over a year ahead.
I wish you two the best in your future.
We live on the coast, and have an evacuation plan. We will go inland to a motel in somewhere like Dunn or Smithfield (along I-95), wherever it appears to be safer. It's not glamorous, but we have a list of motels that take pets.
The thing about Hurricanes just like most weather you cant predict where and when. Especially this far ahead.
Best thing for you to do is get vacation rental insurance because historically September is when this state gets hurricanes- tropical systems.
This state will issue if needed a mandatory evacuation if the OBX is in the cone of a possible hurricane with plenty of time to leave the island.
You really dont want to ride it out either. It is island so yes flooding will occur and the wind will cover the roads with sand and the power might be out for weeks.
Last year Sandy hit the OBX in October, the year before Irene hit the last week of August.
There is also years of no hurricanes or tropical systems.
There is no way to predict if this state will get a hurricane especially over a year ahead.
I wish you two the best in your future.
Don't let the threat of a hurricane run your life. Yep, they do occur, but when they don't occur (more days than when they do) September can be glorious on the Outer Banks.
Even if you do have a hurricane and you have to evacuate, you will have great stories for the rest of your lives. Go for it!
This may help. There were no hurricanes in 2009-10, but there were only tropical storms in 2008, 2007, 2006. But you can see when they go up the east coast, most pass over the eastern edge of North Carolina.
Enter Ocracoke, NC in the search box and 75 miles surrounding: Historical Hurricane Tracks
This may help. There were no hurricanes in 2009-10, but there were only tropical storms in 2008, 2007, 2006. But you can see when they go up the east coast, most pass over the eastern edge of North Carolina.
Enter Ocracoke, NC in the search box and 75 miles surrounding: Historical Hurricane Tracks
That is an awesome link, the geek part of me going to play with it later.
It proves what was stated hurricanes are rare.
I agree with LLN go for it that a great time to have your honeymoon as traffic is lighter in comparison to summer.
The thing about hurricanes is they don't spring up out of nowhere. You will have plenty of advance warning — we just can't tell you now what the weather is going to be in September. A hurricane is not going to ambush you in the middle of the night or anything, though. They usually form off the coast of Africa and take about a week or more before they get to NC. The weather service will be able to watch and advise you. If you get the vacation insurance and have a back-up plan you should be fine.
Remember the Jamaican verse: "September, All Over".
Woops, I misquoted. The story runs: "Jamaican writer Andrew Salkey, who lived for a time in England, evoked the ocean-influenced weather of his Caribbean home. One of his unforgettable children’s stories is called Hurricane. Caribbean children know the vital refrain as they see the coming of the “hurricane months”: June too soon; July stand by; August come it must; September remember; October all over."
I hope you do go and have a great time.
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