A State of Emergency has been issued for all areas of Dare County—including the Towns of Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head and Manteo—beginning at 12 p.m. on Friday, January 30, 2026 due to expected impacts from the winter storm, which is forecast to bring significant snow accumulation, coastal flooding, high winds and extremely cold temperatures to the area. A State of Emergency enables local officials to take actions to protect public health and safety during an emergency if needed.

Additionally, a Winter Storm Warning, Coastal Flood Warning, High Wind Warning and Extreme Cold Watch issued by the National Weather Service at Newport/Morehead City, N.C. remain in effect.

Dare County Emergency Management reminds all residents and visitors that now is the time to finalize winter storm preparations. Ensure you have adequate food, medications and other essential supplies to last for several days, and make necessary arrangements to protect pets and property.

Key Impacts:

• A combination of snow, cold temperatures and wind that could lead to life-threatening conditions outside
• Wind gusts of 50–67 mph
• Severe coastal flooding from both the ocean and sound, particularly in vulnerable, low-lying areas on both the oceanside and soundside
• Extremely cold temperatures in the teens and single digits

Due to dangerous conditions posed by coastal flooding and significant snow accumulation beginning Saturday, January 31, 2026, residents are strongly urged to stay indoors, avoid travel, and remain off the roads, particularly secondary and rural routes, which may become impassable for an extended period. Plan to remain at home through the weekend—and into next week—as travel conditions are unlikely to improve until temperatures rise above freezing.

Ocean and soundside flooding is expected in low-lying areas on both Hatteras Island and the northern beaches, with 2–4 feet of inundation above ground level possible. Flooding will impact vulnerable areas, particularly along N.C. Highway 12, where conditions may deteriorate rapidly and lead to road closures. Travel along N.C. Highway 12 could become dangerous—or life-threatening—and should be avoided as conditions worsen.

Residents and property owners near the water should complete preparations today (Friday, January 30, 2026), including securing belongings, elevating items where possible, relocating vehicles and taking other protective actions. Be prepared to protect property and to relocate if conditions warrant.

Text ”DareEmergencyAlerts” to 77295 to sign up for emergency text alerts.

Additional updates and detailed information will be shared as they become available a DareNC.gov/WinterStorm.

Dare County Closures & Cancellations

All Dare County offices and facilities will be closed on Saturday, January 31, 2026.

Dare County Public Works:

All Dare County Public Works offices and facilities will be closed on Saturday, January 31, 2026. Should there be any changes to the trash collection schedule, that information will be posted on DareNC.gov/WinterStorm and DareNC.gov/Trash.

Dare County Water:

The Dare County Water Department billing offices will be closed on Saturday, January 31, 2026. Should there be any changes to the schedule, that information will be posted on DareNC.gov/WinterStorm.

Please report any water outages or water leaks to water@darenc.gov. Please include the location of the outage/leak, your name, and a phone number. Include pictures or video, if possible. You may also call 252-475-5990 and follow the prompts to report a water outage or a water leak.

Dare County Parks & Recreation:

Northern Beach Division (Kill Devil Hills):
All activities/basketball games scheduled to take place at the Dare County Parks and Recreation Department’s Northern Beach Division in Kill Devil Hills on Saturday, January 31, 2026 and Sunday, February 1, 2026 have been cancelled/postponed.

These programs and activities are currently expected to resume on Monday, February 2, 2026, depending on weather and road conditions. Should there be any changes to the schedule, that information will be posted on DareNC.gov/WinterStorm. For more information, please contact the Northern Beach Division office at 252-475-5850.

Roanoke Island/Mainland Division (Manteo):
All activities/basketball games scheduled to take place at the Dare County Parks and Recreation Department’s Roanoke Island/Mainland Division in Manteo on Saturday, January 31, 2026 and Sunday, February 1, 2026 have been cancelled/postponed.

These programs and activities are currently expected to resume on Monday, February 2, 2026, depending on weather and road conditions. Should there be any changes to the schedule, that information will be posted on DareNC.gov/WinterStorm. For more information, please contact the Roanoke Island/Mainland Division office at 252-475-5910.

Hatteras Island Division - Fessenden Center (Buxton):
All Dare County Parks and Recreation activities/basketball games south of Oregon Inlet—including those scheduled to take place at the Fessenden Center in Buxton (Hatteras Island Division)—on Saturday, January 31, 2026 and Sunday, February 1, 2026 have been cancelled/postponed.

These programs and activities are currently expected to resume on Monday, February 2, 2026, depending on weather and road conditions. Should there be any changes to the schedule, that information will be posted on DareNC.gov/WinterStorm.For more information, please contact the Fessenden Center at 252-475-5650.

Municipal Closures & Cancellations:

Town of Duck:

The Town of Duck is closely monitoring the approaching winter storm, which is expected to bring significant impacts to the community. Updates and official information will be shared on the Town of Duck’s website at ducknc.gov and through Town social media channels.

Residents and visitors are strongly encouraged to plan and prepare now, as conditions are expected to deteriorate beginning Saturday and continue into Sunday.

We cannot stress this enough—travel during the storm will be extremely dangerous. If you are considering travel this weekend, please complete travel today or change your plans. Everyone is urged to stay home and off the roads once conditions begin to deteriorate.

Town of Southern Shores:

The Town of Southern Shores is sharing important updates as forecasted winter weather impacts the community. Residents are advised to monitor Dare County’s Winter Storm Updates for the latest information at DareNC.gov/WinterStorm.

Because of the winter storm, the regular Monday trash collection for Town of Southern Shores residents has been rescheduled to Tuesday, February 3, 2026. If possible, please place your trash carts at the curb as you normally would on the new collection day.

The Town of Southern Shores thanks residents for their understanding and support as crews work to safely maintain essential services during the storm. Road conditions may remain hazardous for several days, so please plan ahead. While the Town does not have the resources to clear streets, Public Works will focus on opening main routes for essential personnel as conditions allow.

Town of Kitty Hawk:

Due to the approaching winter storm, the Kitty Hawk Town Council Meeting scheduled for Monday, February 2, 2026 has been cancelled. The next Town Council meeting will take place Monday, March 2, 2026 at 5 p.m. (please note the time change).

The Kitty Hawk Recycle Center will be closed on Saturday, January 31, 2026.

For updates and closure announcements, please visit kittyhawknc.gov.

Town of Kill Devil Hills:

Due to the approaching winter storm, the Kill Devil Hills Trash Drop Off and Recycle Centers will be closed on Saturday, January 31, 2026. Additionally, the restroom facilities located at Aviation Park and Meekins Field Park will be closed through the weekend.

For updates or closure announcements, please visit the town’s website: www.kdhnc.com

Town of Nags Head:

The Town of Nags Head’s bulk bulk/brush disposal yard will be closed on Saturday, January 31, 2026. The disposal yard will remain open today, Friday, January 30, 2026 until 3:30 p.m.

Town of Manteo:

For updates or closure announcements, please visit the town’s website: ManteoNC.gov

National Park Service Closures & Cancellations

All National Park Service visitor facilities at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Wright Brothers National Memorial will be closed through the weekend and will remain closed through the morning of Monday, February 2, 2026. The Oregon Inlet and Ocracoke campgrounds will close at 12 p.m. on Friday, January 30, 2026.