No major storm damage expected

CARTERET COUNTY - A powerful storm made its presence known Wednesday in Carteret County, but the high winds and sound flooding expected to continue into today wasn't expected to mark the county with major damage.

A high wind warning as well as a coastal flooding warning, which included Carteret, Pamlico and southern Craven counties, was in effect Wednesday evening.

Winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts of around 50 mph were expected during the evening and while they will likely persist today, the winds may not be as strong.

The coastal flooding warning was for sound-side flooding, with the high northeast winds causing high water in the Pamlico Sound and Neuse River.

"The northeast winds are pushing on the water, and that high water has to go somewhere," said meteorologist John Elardo with the National Weather Service office in Newport.

Elardo said the high waters and rough surf could mean battered boat docks and pier structures along the sound areas, rising water in yards and water-covered roads in some low-lying areas, but hopefully nothing more severe.

"Hopefully there won't be any significant property damage," he said Wednesday evening. "Right now, we're not expecting that."

The Carteret County Emergency Services offices hadn't received any damage reports as night fell, but Director Jo Ann Smith found some high water on the roadway during a trip to Cedar Island.

She said water covered a portion of N.C. 12 near the high-rise bridge to the island. It was still passable at the time she went through but she said it likely wouldn't be during high tide.

While the island is cut off when N.C. 12 is impassable, she didn't expect that to be a problem for any long period of time.

"As soon as the tide goes does, it should be passable again," she said.

The water rose to dock level at high tide Wednesday afternoon at the Cape Lookout National Seashore headquarters on Harkers Island, and passenger ferries to the park canceled their runs but the storm didn't quite close the seashore.

But park rangers made sure anyone on the seashore, such as anyone camping or staying in a cabin area, was aware of the conditions.

"We're alerting people on the beaches to be aware of the high water," said park official Wouter Ketel.

The high winds and water affected runs of the NC Department of Transportation ferries. Afternoon runs between Swan Quarter and Ocracoke, Cedar Island and Ocracoke, and Cherry Branch and Minnesott Beach were canceled, and by evening the only the Southport-Fort Fisher and Bayview-Aurora ferry routes were running as scheduled.

School systems in the area most affected by the storm had also altered schedules. Carteret County schools will open today after a two-hour delay.

A few scattered power outages were reported as the high winds picked up, but utility crews had not seen any significant problems.

"We're business as usual with an eye on the storm," said Lisa Taylor-Galizia, spokeswoman for Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative.

Dan Oliver, spokesman for Progress Energy, said the company has crews working in Texas following the hurricane there but adequate manpower remains available here to respond as needed during the storm.

"We're prepared based on what we expect here and we are prepared to increase our resources if needed," he said.

Oliver said Progress Energy had responded to some scattered outages Wednesday in the coastal service area, which extends from Morehead City to Wilmington.

Along Carteret County's beaches, rip currents were a concern but the northeastern direction of the winds was expected to blow waves away from the south-facing beach, limiting the potential of beach erosion, said Shore Protection Manager Greg "rudi" Rudolph.

Contact Daily News staff writer Jannette Pippin at 252-808-2275. Visit www.jdnews.com to comment.