RALEIGH, N.C. (CN) -A winter storm is expected to hit the eastern U.S. this weekend, with snow, strong winds and coastal flooding possible from the Carolinas up to New England.
Dubbed a "bomb cyclone" by some forecasters, the storm is expected to bring snow and severe winter weather from Friday evening through Sunday across North Carolina and southeast Virginia, with possible blizzard conditions along the North Carolina coast before turning into a nor'easter and moving up the coast.
Dangerously cold temperatures are expected to persist after the storm, along with reduced travel conditions. The system follows Winter Storm Fern, which swept through the Midwest and Northeast last week, canceling flights, knocking out power, and resulting in dozens of deaths. More than 220,000 people remain without power as subfreezing temperatures approach.
Central North Carolina could receive four to eight inches of snow, Norfolk, Virginia, up to seven inches and Nantucket, Massachusetts, up to three to seven inches.
"The storm, in all its fury in the Carolinas and southern Virginia, would be a formidable event for states in the northern tier from Maine to Michigan and Minnesota, with the combination of significant snow, cold conditions, and blowing and drifting of snow on the ground," predicts AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
North Carolina and Georgia have issued states of emergency ahead of the storm, with Atlanta expecting several inches of snow. Tennessee remains under a state of emergency, and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has extended the state's declaration issued during Winter Storm Fern.
In eastern North Carolina, the National Weather Service warns that coastal areas could see snow-related impacts into next week. Residents of the Outer Banks face coastal flood warnings, with forecasts calling for eight to 12 inches of snow, possible blizzard conditions and wind gusts up to 70 mph. Flooding risks are highest along the sandbar, where ocean overwash is possible.
"People on the Outer Banks need to be aware and careful," Governor Josh Stein said in a visit to a brine facility to thank transportation staff preparing for the winter weather.
The area is notorious for beachfront homes collapsing into the ocean. In Oct. 2025, five houses fell after strong winds, and since 2020, erosion has claimed 27 properties as beachside erosion creeps inland.
Many of the unoccupied homes were once far inland but now sit in the intertidal zone after years of erosion. When they collapse, they scatter debris for miles, prompting closures by the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, which is managed by the National Park Service.
Owners have been urged to relocate or stabilize the structures, but removal is costly, and the National Flood Insurance Program does not cover losses until collapse occurs. The frequency of the collapses has increased in recent years, with one collapse in 2020 and 16 in 2025.
Stein said he supports legislation before Congress that would enable the National Flood Insurance Program to step in and buy out the homes before the ocean claims more houses, in order to reduce the hazard they pose to the public and local wildlife.
Relocating or demolishing the properties before they collapse would reduce hazards and is supported by local governments, Stein said in a letter urging support for a federal fix, noting that the current insurance situation creates a financial incentive for homeowners to avoid taking steps to prevent collapse. The park service and Dare County have sought to be reimbursed by owners for the cost of restoring beaches, and the park service responds to the collapses, working to prevent debris from spreading and hauling it from the beaches.
"[It is] much smarter for us to try to remove those homes that are at risk of falling into the ocean before it does so," Governor Josh Stein said in a weather briefing Friday, noting the environmental damage that the collapses cause along the shoreline.
The National Weather Service is warning coastal residents that the storm may have historic impacts. The last time the area received over 12 inches of snow was during a Christmas snowstorm in 1989, when Cape Hatteras received over 13 inches. Further south, the coastal city of Wilmington received over 15 inches.
Rodanthe, where the majority of the collapsed homes are located, is projected to receive four to six inches of snow, with the entire Outer Banks expected to receive two to four feet of flooding.
Source: Courthouse News Service
