Winds, rough weather headed for Outer Banks on Tuesday

Rough weather is headed toward the Outer Banks Tuesday while Hampton Roads is expected to get gusty winds late Tuesday through Thursday afternoon.

The National Weather Service office for Newport and Morehead City, N.C., issued a coastal flood watch for the Outer Banks that will last from Tuesday afternoon until Wednesday evening.

Winds across coastal North Carolina are expected to reach 30 to 40 mph, with gusts of 50 to 60 mph, the Weather Service said. Waves offshore will reach 14 to 16 feet by Wednesday and are expected to reach 8 to 10 feet on the beaches Tuesday afternoon.

The winds, from the north and northeast, will be caused by strong high pressure over New England, combined with low pressure off the coast of South Carolina, the Weather Service forecast said.

The Weather Service office in Wakefield issued a coastal flood watch for Virginia Beach from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday afternoon.

How much rain Hampton Roads could get depends on the path of the low pressure area, said Jeff Lewitsky, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wakefield.

“No matter what happens, we’re going to have some gusty winds, and 30 to 50 mph gusts is our best guess at this point,” he said, referring to Virginia Beach.

A high-surf advisory begins at midnight Tuesday in the Beach, meaning waves could reach 8 feet. The advisory ends at noon Thursday.

In the Outer Banks, the Weather Service warned of an increased chance of strong rip currents and the possibility of beach erosion and flooding north of Hatteras Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday afternoon.

High tide will come at 3 p.m. Tuesday and 4 p.m. Wednesday. Portions of N.C. 12 might become covered in water, the Weather Service said.

Patrick Wilson, (757) 446-2957, patrick.wilson@pilotonline.com