Look at what those gale-force winds on Friday did to Outer Banks’ N.C. 12

That Nor’easter that brought gale-force winds and 20-foot seas to the Outer Banks turned the blacktop lanes of N.C. 12 into a nice, long sandy beach over the weekend.

On Tuesday morning, the N.C. Department of Transportation released a series of photos of the road’s condition, and they showed sections of the highway all but vanished under ocean overwash. Standing water remained on some sections, the department reported on Facebook.

Two sections of the highway remained closed for days near Rodanthe and South Ferry Dock, but reopened late Tuesday. Sand and debris were pushed onto the highway by sustained winds of 34 to 46 mph and gusts up to 63 mph on Friday.

State officials warned motorists Tuesday to drive carefully and continue to look out for standing water and sand on the road, pushed inland by high tides. Here are photos sent out by the NCDOT of the ongoing cleanup:

Mark Price: 704-358-5245, @markprice_obs

This story was originally published March 6, 2018 at 3:10 PM with the headline "Look at what those gale-force winds on Friday did to Outer Banks’ N.C. 12."