Coastal low to batter vulnerable Carolina coastline with gusty winds and rough seas

An offshore low-pressure system threatens the Carolinas with gusty winds and rough surf this week, further endangering a coastline already battered by the 2025 hurricane season.

The 2025 season brought turmoil to North Carolina's Outer Banks, despite no tropical systems making landfall. 

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From September to late October, a total of 16 beach homes collapsed into the Atlantic Ocean in Buxton and Rodanthe, along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. 

The FOX Forecast Center said this area of low pressure is expected to remain non-tropical and stay roughly 300 miles off the coast before pulling away into the middle and late part of the week. 

Because of how far away it's going to be, very little rainfall is expected with this system. 

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However, gusty winds between 30 and 40 mph are likely along the coast. 

Along with the winds, high surf and rip currents are a concern through the end of the week. 

If these conditions continue for more than a day, the FOX Forecast Center said some minor beach erosion could happen, putting more vulnerable beach homes at risk.

In total, 31 oceanfront homes in the Outer Banks have collapsed since 2020. Others have been proactively removed due to the increased vulnerability of the coast. 

WATCH: OCEANFRONT HOME IN NORTH CAROLINA'S OUTER BANKS TORN DOWN IN EFFORT TO COMBAT BEACH EROSION

Extreme weather events like nor'easters, hurricanes and other tropical systems, have accelerated beach erosion. 

Homes that were primarily built in the 70s, 80s and 90s behind yards of beach and sand dunes, now lie in the ocean surf. 

WATCH: 8TH NORTH CAROLINA BEACH HOUSE TO COLLAPSE CAUGHT LIVE ON FOX WEATHER

FOX Weather Correspondent Katie Byrne was posted in Buxton, in front of a home at risk of collapse on Oct. 2, 2025, preparing for a live interview with FOX Weather when the home collapsed. 

Seven more homes went on to collapse in the remainder of 2025.

Since the start of the year, Buxton has seen four homes collapse into the ocean. 

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As the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season begins with an El Niño year, we could see less tropical activity in the southeast this season, but only time will tell.