Carteret County hurricane guide¶

The Carteret County Office of Emergency Management, part of Carteret County Emergency Services in Morehead City, plans for hurricanes, runs the emergency operations center, and opens shelters and citizen information lines during storms. Storm surge and flooding are the biggest dangers, and evacuation orders usually cover Bogue Banks, waterfront property, low-lying and flood prone areas, and mobile homes. Orders usually come 18 to 24 hours before gale force winds, and access to Bogue Banks is controlled before and after a storm.

Checked on October 2, 2026

Every phone number and web address on this page was checked against official sources on that date. Details can change, especially during a storm. Always follow instructions from Carteret County Office of Emergency Management. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.

What to know in Carteret County¶

Hurricane evacuation orders are issued by the Control Group: the mayor of each town in the county and the chair of the Board of Commissioners. In tourist season, visitors, people towing boats or campers, and people in RVs may be asked to leave before the official evacuation period.
After a damaging hurricane, access to Bogue Banks (Atlantic Beach, Pine Knoll Shores, Indian Beach, Salter Path, and Emerald Isle) is limited. Property owners get colored reentry permits from their town before hurricane season, and Salter Path residents get them at Indian Beach Town Hall. Crews go in first, then property owners with a permit or proof of ownership when their town allows it, then the general public.
After a storm, stay home and do not travel. Call 911 only for a police, medical, or fire emergency, and call the County Information Center for information or to volunteer.

Emergency and information numbers¶

Service	Number	Notes
Emergency	911	Police, fire, and ambulance. Call only when someone's life or property is in danger.
Citizen information center (during emergencies)	252-726-7061	Answered during emergencies and storm activations. Carteret County Information Center.
Emergency management office	252-222-5841	Office line. Not for emergencies. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. During a disaster this number is also the Medically Fragile Command Center.
Public safety non-emergency (24 hours)	252-726-1911	For police matters that are not emergencies.
County information line	252-728-8450	Office line. Not for emergencies. County Administration.
Sheriff's Office	252-728-8400	Office line. Not for emergencies.
Animal services	252-728-8585	Carteret County Animal Control.
Road and traffic conditions (511)	511	Road closures and conditions. From outside North Carolina, call 877-511-4662. Overnight and during emergencies, use DriveNC.gov.

Official alerts and information¶

CodeRED Emergency Alerts: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. Website.
Carteret County Emergency Management: The county emergency management website. Website.
Carteret County hurricane evacuation information: The county's official hurricane information page. It covers evacuation orders, timing, routes, and how to prepare. Website.

Evacuation zones¶

Carteret County uses North Carolina Know Your Zone evacuation zones, which mark the areas most at risk from storm surge and flooding. Local officials decide which zones must leave, and Zone A is usually evacuated first, followed by Zone B and the rest. Not every zone is evacuated in every storm, so listen for your zone in county alerts and local news. Whatever your zone, people on Bogue Banks, along the water, in low-lying or flood prone areas, and in mobile homes are the ones usually ordered to leave.

Look up your evacuation zone

Evacuation centers¶

Open only when announced

Evacuation centers open only when officials announce them, and not every center opens for every storm. Check the official list of open centers before you leave home. Bring your own bedding, food, water, and medicines.

Carteret County opens shelters as needed during an emergency, and not every shelter opens. The evacuation order says when shelters open, and the county does not publish a standing list. Your first choice should be family or friends outside the evacuation zone, and shelters are short term, so bring bedding, food, water, and medicine for two to four days. Some shelters take household pets in a carrier or crate, with dogs on a collar and leash and proof of rabies shots for dogs and cats.

Help to evacuate¶

Medically Fragile Registry: Register before a storm if you will need help to evacuate or a special needs shelter. The registry is free, voluntary, and confidential, and registrants get transportation and a medically fragile shelter during an ordered evacuation. Mail the completed form to Carteret County Emergency Services, 3820 Bridges Street, Suite D, Morehead City, NC 28557, and renew it every year. During a disaster, registrants can call the Medically Fragile Command Center at this number. Phone: 252-222-5841. Website.
Carteret County Animal Control: County animal control in Morehead City. County shelters take household pets only, not livestock. Phone: 252-728-8585. Website.

Radio, TV and weather¶

Keep a battery or hand crank radio. When power and cell service fail, radio is often the only way to hear official updates.

Radio stations¶

Station	Frequency	Language	Notes
WERO	93.3 FM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1)
WRNS-FM	95.1 FM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (LP2)
WSFL-FM	106.5 FM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (PEP)
WMGV	103.3 FM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (SR)
WIKS	101.9 FM	English	Emergency Alert System primary station (SR)

Emergency Alert System roles come from the North Carolina state EAS plan of October 2019, the newest one published.

NOAA Weather Radio¶

A weather radio turns itself on for warnings, even in the middle of the night. Set it to this frequency.

Station	Frequency	Transmitter
KEC84	162.400 MHz	New Bern

TV stations¶

Station	Channel	Network	Language
WITN-TV (WITN)	7	NBC	English
WNCT-TV (WNCT)	9	CBS	English
WCTI-TV (WCTI ABC 12)	12	ABC	English
WUNK-TV (PBS North Carolina)	25	PBS	English
WUNM-TV (PBS North Carolina)	19	PBS	English

Official forecasts¶

National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City: Local forecasts, watches, and warnings. Phone: 252-223-5737. Website.
National Hurricane Center: Official hurricane forecasts, watches, and warnings. Website.

Power, water and debris¶

Duke Energy Progress: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 800-419-6356. Website.
Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 800-682-2217. Website.

After the storm: help for displaced residents¶

If your home is damaged or you cannot go back, these organizations help with shelter, food, money, and paperwork. Many programs open only after a disaster declaration, so check their pages for current status.

Where to start¶

NC 211: The 211 helpline for all 100 North Carolina counties, run by United Way of North Carolina. Free and confidential, in most languages. Dial 211 at any hour. From outside North Carolina, call 888-892-1162. Phone: 211. Website.

Housing and shelter¶

FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers: After a federal declaration, these centers help you apply for aid in person. Use the locator to find the nearest one. Phone: 1-800-621-3362. Website.

Food¶

Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina: Regional food bank for 34 counties in central and eastern North Carolina. Find a pantry or mobile market by ZIP code on its site. Raleigh headquarters. The food bank has six branches. Phone: 919-875-0707. Website.

Money, work and insurance¶

DisasterAssistance.gov: Apply for FEMA aid after a federal declaration. Phone: 1-800-621-3362. Website.
SBA disaster loans: Low interest loans for homeowners, renters, and businesses after a declared disaster. Phone: 800-659-2955. Website.

Legal help¶

Legal Aid of North Carolina: Free civil legal help for low-income residents of all 100 counties, including problems after a disaster with housing, insurance, benefits, and contractors. Also written 1-866-219-LANC. Apply by phone, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday to Friday, or apply online. Phone: 1-866-219-5262. Website.

Emotional support¶

Trillium Health Resources: The public LME/MCO that manages mental health, substance use, and developmental disability services in 46 eastern and central counties. Behavioral Health Crisis Line, answered by licensed clinicians 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Member and Recipient Services: 1-877-685-2415. For a crisis at any hour, you can also call or text 988. Phone: 1-888-302-0738. Website.
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text, any time. Phone: 988.

Relief organizations¶

American Red Cross Cape Fear Chapter: The Red Cross chapter for 12 counties in southeastern North Carolina. It runs shelters and gives emergency help after disasters and home fires. Chapter office in Wilmington. For disaster help at any hour, call 1-800-733-2767. Phone: 910-762-2683. Website.

Cities and towns¶

Each city has its own services and some have their own alerts. The county's evacuation zones, evacuation centers, and emergency alerts cover everyone, in every city and in unincorporated areas.

Sources¶

Checked on October 2, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.