"I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas…” Bing Crosby sang in the 1954 film of the same name—White Christmas. And for just one brief moment here on the Outer Banks, there was the hope that the dream would come true, and there would be a white Christmas from Corolla to Ocracoke.
But then the weather forecast changed and there doesn’t seem to be much of a chance of snow on the ground to greet Santa.
It has happened before on the Outer Banks. Why just 33 years ago 16” fell on Christmas Eve.
The storm was a classic nor’easter, with a powerful low pressure system tracking up the coast. The winds blew at 50 mph for hours and out at sea, the Navy Oiler USNS Benjamin Isherwood was heading south under tow from Philadelphia and the 20’ seas were battering the ship and its tow.
At some point during the night the line broke. Attempts were made to reattach the line, but they all failed. The ship was adrift and with winds howling from the northeast the ship was pushed inexorably to the shoreline. Dawn found the Benjamin Isherwood hard aground just about where the Ocean Sands is a few miles south of the village of Corolla.
There were a few crewmen on board, but other than what was probably a memorable if terrifying night, everyone was ok.
The snowfall pattern was a bit odd. Coastal North Carolina was the only state to feel the effects. From Norfolk north, there was no snow; Wilmington had snow, but south of there, nothing.
It will certainly be cold enough for snow, if snow should fall this weekend, but the forecast is looking drier and drier.
About our picture—We needed something to show snow on the Outer Banks. That’s Kitty Hawk Woods after a January, 2018 snowfall.
There is so much to explore on the Outer Banks. Be sure to spend some time learning about new places and things to do while staying in a Brindley Beach Vacations home.