NC 12 Reopens · Ferry Toll Fight · Shark Stranding Alert 07/25/2026

Good Morning — This Day on the Banks

A piece of Banks history: Portsmouth Island, just across the inlet from Ocracoke, was once a thriving port village where ships offloaded cargo too heavy to cross the shallow Ocracoke Inlet bar. Storms, shifting channels, and the decline of shipping emptied the village over generations. Today it stands preserved and silent, a ghost town reachable only by boat, its old homes and church kept by the National Park Service as a quiet reminder of how the Banks have always answered to water and wind.

The Conditions

North Banks (Corolla–Duck): high 77° / low 72°, showers and thunderstorms Central (Kitty Hawk–Nags Head): high 79° / low 72°, showers and thunderstorms Hatteras & Ocracoke: high 81° / low 75°, showers and thunderstorms

Central detail: northeast wind 8 to 14 mph, gusts to 17. Storms likely, some capable of heavy rain, with 2 to 3 inches of new rainfall possible. Chance of precipitation 90%.

Water: 73° at the Duck buoy Tides: High 5:11 am · Low 10:50 am · High 5:38 pm Sun: rise 6:03 am / set 8:15 pm Moon: 🌔 Waxing gibbous

Sunrise Rating: Welp Sunset Rating: Welp

A Flood Watch remains in effect for the region through 8:00 p.m. today, issued by NWS Newport/Morehead City.

🌀 Watching Weather

The National Hurricane Center's Tropical Weather Outlook, issued Friday evening, calls for no tropical cyclone formation in the Atlantic, Caribbean, or Gulf over the next 7 days.

The Headline

NC 12 Reopens After Pea Island Flooding

N.C. Highway 12 on Pea Island reopened around 3:15 p.m. Friday after a temporary closure caused by flooding from heavy rainfall, according to the Island Free Press. More rainfall was expected to follow through the evening. The reopening comes as a Flood Watch remains in effect for the region through 8:00 p.m. Saturday, with rain totals of 2 to 3 inches still possible.

➤ Read the full update at Island Free Press

Around the Banks

➤ Ocracoke — A local organization is asking state lawmakers to delay the North Carolina Ferry Division's new toll enforcement deadline by a year, citing the time needed to develop and test a new collection system, per Coastal Review.

➤ Dare County — Mary Robinson will run as a write-in candidate for the District 3 seat on the Dare County Board of Education after falling short in her bid to run as an unaffiliated candidate, according to Outer Banks Voice.

➤ Hatteras Island — The North Carolina Shark Conservancy is reminding beachgoers to report any shark strandings they encounter this summer, per Island Free Press.

➤ Statewide — Recent rainfall has done little to ease North Carolina's drought, with some areas still short more than 20 inches of precipitation, Coastal Review reports.

Getting Around

NC 12: reopened Friday afternoon at Pea Island after a rain-related closure; a Flood Watch remains in effect through 8:00 p.m. today with additional rain possible. Bridges: normal operations reported. Ferries: normal schedules reported; ferry toll enforcement timeline remains under discussion (see Around the Banks).

On the Market

➤ Short-term rental demand on the Outer Banks dipped in June compared to last year, but higher nightly rates helped offset the losses, according to the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau's latest data reported by Island Free Press.

Music Scene

A full Saturday up and down the Banks:

Corolla & Duck
Whalehead Brewery (Corolla) — Morgan Hudson, 4:00 pm
NC Coast Grill & Bar (Duck) — Bryan Campbell, 6:00 pm
Sundogs Raw Bar & Grill (Corolla) — DJ Blacking, 9:30 pm

Kitty Hawk to Nags Head
Jolly Roger Restaurant (Kill Devil Hills) — Bonfire Brothers, 4:00 pm
Village Beach Club (Nags Head) — Oceanfront Live Music: Antho..., 5:00 pm
Outer Banks Brewing Station (Kill Devil Hills) — Live Music in the Backyard, 5:00 pm
Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint (Kill Devil Hills) — The Ramble, 6:30 pm
Fish Heads Bar & Grill (Nags Head) — Ty Fleming, 7:00 pm
Jolly Roger Restaurant (Kill Devil Hills) — RT Johnson, 9:00 pm
Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint (Kill Devil Hills) — Cleophus James, 10:00 pm
Outer Banks Brewing Station (Kill Devil Hills) — Dance Night With DJ Blacking, 10:30 pm
Jolly Roger Restaurant (Kill Devil Hills) — DJ QNTN, 11:50 pm

Roanoke Island & Hatteras
Old Tom's Beer, Wine & Provisions (Manteo) — Paint Days, 1:00 pm
Oceanas Bistro (Avon) — Jessie Taylor, 6:00 pm
Old Tom's Beer, Wine & Provisions (Manteo) — Live Music by Tim Hall of Bu..., 6:30 pm

The Weekend

Nothing on the books for the weekend yet.

The Polling Station

Yesterday the Brief asked whether Roanoke Island Festival Park should change its booking model to keep live shows on the Outer Banks — the vote split exactly 50% to 50%.

Today's question: Should Outer Banks beach towns require rip current flags to be posted daily during summer, regardless of forecast?

A) Yes, post them every day -> Vote A B) No, only when conditions warrant -> Vote B

Tap a choice to vote — results in tomorrow's Brief.

Trivia Banks

What are the two Roanoke Island towns named for Native men who sailed to England in the 1580s?

Show me the answer

One Good Thing

The Outer Banks SPCA is asking the community for food and toy donations as the shelter cares for a growing number of kittens during its busiest season of the year, per Island Free Press. Staff and volunteers continue taking in litters faster than they can place them, and every bag of food or toy donated goes straight to the animals waiting for homes.

Share the Brief

— Trivia answer: Manteo and Wanchese.