Henri eyes Long Island; deadly rip currents to continue Sunday along Outer Banks

August 21, 2021 Sam Walker
There was still a decent break at Rodanthe Pier on the evening of Aug. 22. 2021. [courtesy Surfchex.com]

While Long Island and New England prepare for possibly the first landfalling hurricane in three decades, the Outer Banks will continue to experience rough surf and rip currents on Sunday as Henri heads away.

All beaches of North Carolina have experienced frequent, powerful rip currents and pounding shore break. No Swimming flags were up on Saturday, and will likely be posted again Sunday.

Surf heights of 6 to 10 feet are forecast to continue into tonight. However, no overwash has been reported along the Outer Banks.

Live video from Corolla, courtesy Twiddy & Company:

Live video from Rodanthe Pier, courtesy SurfChex:

After circling Bermuda all this week, Henri finally turned northward on Friday. The center remained around 200 miles off our coast on Saturday as it became a hurricane.

While the conditions on the Outer Banks have not be conducive to going into the ocean for swimmers and lesser-skilled surfers and bodyboarders, it is welcome news for experienced surfers up and down the East Coast.

Beach 104’s Jody in the Morning talked Friday with REAL Watersports surf instructor Jeff Carver, aka The Phantom Surfer, about what the conditions were expected to look like this weekend.

The season’s eighth tropical cyclone and third hurricane is now predicted to make landfall Sunday along Long Island and then move into New England as a strong tropical storm.

The last hurricane to make landfall in that part of the country was Hurricane Bob exactly 30 years ago this week.

A weather system unrelated to Henri brought heavy rainfall and even a few waterspouts to the Outer Banks and northeastern North Carolina on Friday.

A few showers and storms have produced heavy rainfall in isolated locations on Saturday, and more of the same is forecast for the next couple of days.

National Weather Service forecast for Nags Head, as of Saturday 6 p.m.:

Tonight
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 7pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 77. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 5 to 8 mph in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Sunday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Sunny, with a high near 87. South wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Sunday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Monday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. South wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Monday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southwest wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tuesday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tuesday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Wednesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
Wednesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.
Thursday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.
Friday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Friday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Saturday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
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About Sam Walker 1512 Articles
Sam Walker was news director for OBXToday.com, Beach 104, 99.1 The Sound, Big 94.5 WCMS and Z 92.3 from August 2011 to March 2022.
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