CAPE HATTERAS, N.C. – Sam and Kayla Norris braved the treacherous conditions of Tropical Storm Ophelia on Friday, when they drove to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, for their third wedding anniversary.
The couple said they encountered rain and powerful wind during their trip, along with sand blowing sideways and sea foam blowing over the sand dunes.
Kayla Norris recorded a video of the weather conditions from inside the couple’s vehicle. The recording showed sand and sea foam sweeping across the road, causing visibility to drop to virtually zero.
TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA BLASTS MID-ATLANTIC AFTER NORTH CAROLINA LANDFALL
“God bless!” she could be heard saying in the video. “Look at that (expletive), man! What have you got us into?”
By Saturday morning, the couple were able to enjoy calmer weather in Cape Hatteras.
Road conditions during Ophelia were a point of concern for many in Cape Hatteras and throughout the Outer Banks.
North Carolina Department of Transportation crews were out on Friday, clearing sand and water from the roadway where possible. The images below show tractors on State Route 12, which runs down the Outer Banks and through Cape Hatteras, trying to keep the road passable.
On Saturday morning, NC DOT noted that SR12 remained open and passable, despite many areas where the road may still have some sand and water. They asked drivers to exercise caution when going out on the road and suggested drivers wait until Sunday to venture out when conditions would be more favorable.