Outer Banks Weather Archives - Joe Lamb Jr. & Associates

Outer Banks Spring Picnic Places

A fully equipped Outer Banks Vacation rental kitchen with a view of the ocean.

Each Vacation Rental Home comes equipped with a kitchen capable of whipping up some amazing picnic meals!

The arrival of Spring weather on the Outer Banks seems to send everyone racing to the nearest beach, park, or patch of grass, with a gingham blanket and basket in hand. A picnic menu requires skill: the food must be prepared ahead of time and packed correctly so as to not make things soggy, it needs to also be robust enough to survive the journey, and delicious at room temperature.

All of the Joe Lamb Jr. & Associates Vacation Rental Homes on the Outer Banks have kitchens where you can create your own fabulous picnic so much easier than trying to navigate a tiny hotel room with just a dorm fridge and microwave.

From the quick and easy to the more involved glamorous feast here are some great ideas for meals and some scenic suggestions for that perfect OBX picnic location!

Quick wraps and rollups perfect for an Outer Banks beach picnic.

Enjoy quick picnic foods perfect for grabbing on the go and heading to the beach.

When it comes to the most basic of beach picnics the theme is often quick, easy, and cold. Check out these suggestions for simple beach picnic foods to pack.

Fruit: When sandy fingertips are involved, whole fruits are preferable to cut up fruits. Apples, peaches, and bananas (which can become soggy in the sun, so keep them in the cooler) are all good options. A tub of watermelon or cantaloupe slices, cut from the rind, is also perfect for the beach. Almost all of these foods are also hydrating, which is a plus!

Nuts: It’s a perfect way to get some protein in a rush. If you think you can eat this without crunching on sand (struggle!), make a trail mix of dried fruit and nuts.

Chips or Crackers: If you need to bring some snacks, crackers and chips are a nice choice. If you prefer whole-grain crackers, they would be less salty and healthier for you.

Wraps: The star of the show down on the beach. A sandwich filling like tuna or chicken salad is more enjoyable to eat when it’s wrapped in anything other than two pieces of bread, whether it’s a tortilla or your favorite gluten-free plant. Kids may also eat a wrap with one hand, leaving their other hand free to keep their sippy cup upright. Wraps are a lot easier to make. Protect the bottom half with a cloth napkin or even a paper towel to keep the sand out.

Drinks: These can be whatever you want as long as they are cold and refreshing and fit in the cooler. But please do not bring glass to the beach, that is a huge NO-NO!

*** Please remember to use recyclable silverware, paper straws, and other items that are beach and marine life friendly while on your beach picnic. Also, it is important to note that all OBX beaches are carry-in carry-out so remember to pack a trash receptacle in your picnic basket to carry any trash off the beach. Leaving your best beach picnic place as clean as you found it.***

Choose one or all of these suggested beach spots to have your best beach picnic:

Jockey’s Ridge State Park. The park is known for its towering sand dunes, which stand between 80 and 100 feet tall and appear to belong in a desert region rather than a coastal beach town.

Nags Head Town Park. A scenic 1-mile hike through sand dunes and maritime forests leads to a remote, quiet sound side beach at the nearby Nags Head Woods Preserve nature trail.

The beach right outside your door. If you are lucky enough to secure one of our oceanfront vacation rentals in the Outer Banks then just throw open your door and head down to the beach where you are staying!

A group of young adults gathered around a picnic basket in an Outer Banks park eating sandwiches.

Sturdier dishes and sides are perfect for the in-between or impromptu picnic spots all over The Outer Banks.

Unlike a quick beach picnic the inland outdoor dining experience can be a little more creative and fun. Dishes that can be prepared together for a bit more grown up and sophisticated feel are perfect for these types of Outer Banks picnics.

Sandwiches with a little flair can start to come into play with these picnic levels. Think panini’s and cubanos wrapped tight to stay warm. Triple decker club sandwiches stacked high with all the toppings come to mind as main attractions for these basket dinners.

You can also think of pairings such as chicken on the bone whether it is fried, grilled, or baked all three taste great with some rice and beans and salad. Maybe even some fish tacos with roasted potatoes and corn on the cob would be a delicious treat. These foods can still be eaten with your hands if you wanted or since you will have put a little more thought into this meal and you had plenty of room in your vacation rental homes kitchen they can be placed on some reusable plates and eaten with utensils.

Foods on a skewer can be added to these types of picnics. They are still in the wheelhouse of convenience but also lend themselves to the diversity of multiple flavor profiles all in one meal. Kabobs of steak and peppers or chicken and tomatoes come to mind.

Finding one of these fun sites or Outer Banks parks to dine outside along the coast this Spring will make your vacation feel exciting and eventful!

Lighthouses. Although you will not be allowed to actually eat at the top of the lighthouse you could voyage up to the top and come back down to work up your appetite and then have your picnic nearby with the stunning view of the lighthouse as your backdrop.

David Paul Pruitt Jr. Multiuse Path and Park. It’s a family-friendly community playground with play equipment for both young and older children inside a fenced-in area and picnic tables near the parking area on the outside. Perfect for that mid-range meal with friends or a special someone.

Dowdy Park. There is a fitness trail for adults to work up a healthy desire to eat. For everyone else, there are picnic pavilions, covered tables, and grills.

A woman pouring a sparkling water while feasting on a charcuterie board of nuts and fruits all on top of a hip southwestern design blanket.

Fancy portable meals that are easy to unpack but still feel glamorous like crab legs and charcuterie boards are a great fit for places that set the mood just right.

If you really want to create a posh picnic that will make memories to last a lifetime it starts in the prep work.

The key to really going all out during this process is planning. It’s also crucial to resist the sack-lunch mindset and instead opt for dishes that need more participation and collaboration. Choose recipes that you don’t make very often or that use higher-end ingredients for the most enjoyable picnic. This can be difficult to envision, so here are a few suggestions to get you started.

Meal ideas like crab legs, lobster, oysters, and filet mignon come to mind as the culinary experience unfolds. These are decadent but also easy to eat in the picnic setting.

Something else to include is a charcuterie board. Not only are these beautiful to look at but you can get as fancy and visually creative as you want. You can add nuts, cheeses, fruits, meats, jams, honey, crackers or bread, and more. All of those ingredients travel well and make customizing your picnic flavorful and fun.

This is also where you can break out the higher-end drinks, a good bottle of wine or champagne. Maybe a pre-mixed themed beverage that can be made ahead of time and brought in a large thermos or tumbler.

(FUN IDEA: you both take turns trying to name the drink based on some of the memories already made on this vacation, like the “Lighthouse Lemonade” etc…)

While you are back in the kitchen putting this basket of goodies together put some thought into the presentation as well. Use real silverware, bring the good china, use the coziest blanket. This is not the picnic to skimp on the details. This is one for the record books!

(Do Not Forget The Flowers!)

When you have the meal portion of the picnic planned it’s time to think of a location here is where Spring on the Outer Banks really shines because you can go to one phenomenal spot and have an outstandingly romantic experience.

Say hello to Historic Corolla Park! Here you can cozy up to each other on the lush green lawn of the Whalehead Club, a stunningly restored Art Nouveau-style mansion on the National Register of Historic Places from the 1920s. You can marvel at the beauty all around you while dining on your carefully curated Outer Banks Spring Picnic!

A concrete sidewalk leading to a beautiful view of the lighthouse on the Outer Banks.

Any way you slice your sandwich, Spring is a wonderful time to start taking advantage of the incredible outdoor areas the Outer Banks has to offer.

The Outer Banks is known for its regularly breezy days, blooming trees, and daily temperatures perfect for outdoor opportunities in the Spring.

We have plenty of wonderful vacation rental homes with well-equipped kitchens that are excellent for prepping any type of picnic you choose to go on around the barrier islands. Spring brings plenty of chances to start taking advantage of all the incredible outside activities and areas available to you in the Outer Banks.

So reach up to the top of your cabinets and dust off that old basket and throw the super plush extra-large blanket in the washing machine because it is Spring Picnic Season on the OBX!

—

Joe Lamb Jr. & Associates is one of the most trusted vacation rental managers in the local area by growing into a market leader in the Vacation Rental and Sales Industry. Joe Lamb Jr. and his family have played a vital and intricate role in the Outer Banks Community for decades.

Over the past 50+ years, Joe Lamb Jr. & Associates have worked diligently to help promote the Outer Banks for the amazing beach and family vacation destination that it is, helping to increase tourism in the area and grow our beautiful community.

Sea Cows, Sharks and Storms, Oh My!

Stranded sea cow on a Core Banks barrier island.

It’s been an interesting week here on the Outer Banks. Right now there’s the first of the true nor’easters of the season moving in and it looks as though it’s going to be a heck of a storm.

A great white shark pinged fairly far west of Oregon Inlet.

But we’ll start with the coolest story of all—the sea cows.

Ok, they’re just cows, but given how remarkable their story of survival is, maybe sea cow is the right word.

When the 8’ mini-tsunami swept across Cedar Island, it took with it a lot of feral and wild animals, including 28 horses and most of a herd of wild cattle that live on the island.

There was little hope that any of the animals would or could survive. The horses didn’t. And the thought was the cattle didn’t either. And most probably didn’t.

But earlier this week, just south of Portsmouth Island on the norther end of the Core Banks one of the wild herd was spotted. And when park personnel went to investigate—it’s on NPS property—two more were discovered, munching away on sea oats and sea grass.

The NPS is planning on sedating them and returning them to Cedar Island. The barrier islands of Core Banks are very unstable.

The Shark. Cabot the Shark.

It seems Cabot, at 533 pound male great white shark that has been tagged, pinged pretty far west of Oregon Inlet. Actually he was a couple of miles into the Pamlico River.

There’s a couple of things about Cabot being where he was that is a bit odd.

He’s really active and moving very quickly. On Wednesday evening he pinged in the ocean east of Duck. By yesterday evening he was in the Pamlico River. To reassure anyone who is concerned about an encounter with Cabot, his last ping was this evening (Friday) east of Avon.

Most odd though, great white’s very rarely venture into fresh water, and that far west of Oregon Inlet, the water is fresh. They need salt water for their survival, so there’s probably a good reason why Cabot didn’t stay in Pamlico Sound very long.

And then there’s the nor’easter. The winds are picking up pretty well, and it looks as though we’ll have some overwash in areas prone to it.

Should be interesting.

But then it’s always interesting on the Outer Banks. Plan your stay with Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associates and see for yourself how interesting the Outer Banks really are.

Back to Normal after Hurricane Dorian

Damaged Nags Head Pier. The last 10 yards or so of the pier have disappeared.

Hurricane Dorian is gone, thank goodness, and the cleanup is going very well. The northern Outer Banks completely opened to visitors this afternoon and hopefully Hatteras Island will follow suit in a few days.

Ocracoke, though, is going to take a while to cleanup and get ready for visitors. Initial reports seem to indicate there was record flooding from the storm surge. That much water, about 8’, does a lot of damage and the mess that has to be cleaned is time consuming and kind of yucky.

The northern Outer Banks got off pretty easily. There was some damage, but nothing catastrophic, unless of course, a tree is resting on your roof. There was, thankfully, very little of that.

There was some damage though.

Both the Avalon Pier and Nags Head Pier lost part of the pier. It appears to be about last ten yards in both cases. Avalon Pier has already said they are going to rebuild. We haven’t heard anything from Nags Head Pier yet, but it’s a really popular fishing site, so hopefully they will also be rebuilding.

Dominion Power is getting high marks for getting power restored as quickly as they have. One of their most remarkable feats has been replacing every power pole along the Causeway between Nags Head and Manteo.

Every pole was taken out. Some were shattered like matchsticks, others leaned almost to the ground. Not count on how many poles there are, but there were a lot there.

Mostly, though, life is pretty much getting back to normal now that Hurricane Dorian has passed.

The ESAs are this coming week beginning on the 15th. Held at Jennette’s Pier, it’s the largest amateur surfing competition on the East Coast and one of the largest anywhere.

We’re back to almost normal on the Outer Banks. See for yourself how special life on a sandbar is a when you reserve your Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associates home.

Dorian Is Not a Welcome Visitor to the Outer Banks

Closeup of Hurricane Dorian’s forecast track as it passes the Outer Banks.

As visitors go, Hurricane Dorian is not the kind we like on the Outer Banks. The best we can say for him is he’s not going to hang around for very long.

Unfortunately his visit is pretty miserable.

Here on the northern Outer Banks where are Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associates homes are, we’re getting hit with some very heavy rains and some good very strong tropical storm force winds. The hourly forecasts that we’ve been reviewing indicate the worst of Dorian will be happening about midmorning until noon tomorrow.

That’s when the winds will be the strongest—50-55 mph. And that will be sustained for about four hours. Not very pleasant…actually downright unpleasant…but we should get through it just fine.

The current prediction is for a 4-7’ storm surge along the oceanfront. That level of surge coupled with waves up to 12’ in the surf zone means there will be overwash and the Beach Road will probably be impassible for a day or so.

We could be wrong on that. In Dare County the beaches have been nourished and beach nourishment does do a very good job of protecting homes and infrastructure, but there is s limit to how much it can do.

On the northern Outer Banks we’re doing ok, although we would certainly be doing better if Dorian was not paying us a visit.

Down on Hatteras Island, though, it looks like it’s going to be a different story.

With little deviation, the forecast track of Dorian for the past 24 hours has the eye of the hurricane clipping Hatteras Island. The latest track places the eye over Buxton tomorrow morning.

The good news—or at least what passes for good new in this situation—is that Dorian is picking up speed. The last report we had was that the storm was moving NNE at 13 knots or 15mph. The forecasts are all in good agreement that the acceleration will continue, Dorian will be here an gone relatively quickly.

We’ll have to see what emergency management says, but hopefully our visitors—the ones we son enjoy hosting—will be back on the Outer Banks next week.

A Perfect Weekend to Greet an Outer Banks Summer

Beach goers at Jennette’s Pier, Nags Head.

It doesn’t get much better than this. Our Outer Banks beaches were filled, and no wonder. The weather this Memorial Day weekend has been as close to perfect as could be.

Memorial Day…well, Memorial Day weekend…is the unofficial start of summer. For those who are sticklers for detail, June 21 is the first day of summer, but in the world of the Outer Banks, this weekend is it.

The water was cool, the air was warm, the sun was bright and the sand was inviting. What else is needed to have a perfect beach day.

From Corolla clear down to Ocracoke, our beaches were filled with visitors, and quite a few locals, enjoying surf, sun and a wonderful summer’s day.

Before we forget, one of the Ocracoke beaches was named number two on Dr. Beach’s top ten list for this year.

Almost every Outer Banks beach has been on the list at some point in time. Corolla was number one a few years back, so it’s not allowed on the list anymore.

Although Memorial Day is a wonderful holiday and welcomes the summer season, here at Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associates, we don’t want to forget what its purpose is really all about. It is a day to thank our veterans and remember the many who have sacrificed themselves for our nation.

There will be a number of brief ceremonies tomorrow. We’re including a list for those who may wish to attend.

Memorial Day Ceremonies on the Outer Banks

Southern Shores

9:00 a.m.

Southern Shores Cemetery

Dogwood Trail

Kitty Hawk

10 a.m.

Austin Cemetery

Between Ridge Road and Tillet Street

Nags Head

11 a.m.

Nags Head Town Hall

5401 S. Croatan Highway (Mile Post 14).

Kill Devil Hills

12:30

Veterans Memorial across from First Flight High School

100 Veterans Drive

Manteo

11 a.m.

Veteran Memorial at the Dare County Arts Council

300 Queen Elizabeth Avenue

Powerful Winds, Rain and Pounding Surf-OBX Experiences Nor’Easter

Map with warning areas indicated from earlier today, Sunday. A high wind warning is more powerful than a gale warning.

The winds are howling, the seas are building to 10-14’ and the rain was coming down in sheets earlier. Thankfully, the rain has let up for the time being, but a curtain call is predicted for tomorrow.

All the elements are there for a classic nor’easter—and that’s what this is.

This is the same system that is burying parts of western North Carolina and Virginia under a foot and a half and sometimes even two feet of snow.

Five or six days out it was predicted to be a very powerful storm, and the snow forecasts for the mountains seem pretty accurate. Interestingly, though, there has been some real fluctuations in the Outer Banks forecast.

There was never any doubt that the winds would be blowing hard from the north and northeast, but sustained 50 mph winds recorded at the Field Research Facility in Duck—the Duck Pier—and in Kill Devil Hills were not a part of the original forecast.

The forecast changed about six or seven hours ago to reflect stronger winds than originally expected—and yes, we are experiencing those winds right now.

It will be interesting to see what things look like in the daylight tomorrow. We don’t expect any soundside flooding along the northern Outer Banks, but ocean overwash is predicted. If would be surprising if it did not occur in the areas that are prone to it.

Tomorrow is looking a bit better than today, although a bit better is the best we can say at this point. The winds should come down a bit and there will be rain, but not the hard driving rain we had today.

The rest of the week look very nice right now.

Summer, Winter, Spring or Fall, the Outer Banks is an exciting place to visit. Check out our listings at Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associates for the best the Outer Banks has to offer.

Hello to Mustang Rock & Roast, Goodbye to TS Michael

Hurricane Michael will be just a memory by Saturday and Sunday, but as it leaves the Outer Banks it’s dragging some awesome weather behind it.

Actually by the time it gets to the Outer Banks, it will be Tropical Storm Michael and after looking at every weather forecast we can find, it looks as though Thursday and early morning Friday are going to be wet and windy days, but nothing that would raise concerns on the Outer Banks.

What that means is for anyone who had plans for the upcoming weekend, don’t change those plans.

The big event of this coming weekend is the Saturday and Sunday Mustang Rock & Roast, combining great music with food. It’s hard to imagine anything wrong with that combination.

Six bands will take the stage on both days, and one of the best features of Mike Dianna/Bearded Face Production is the continuous music through the use of two stages. As one band is playing, the next one is setting up, and when the fist band’s set ends, the music begins immediately

It creates a great day of music.

This year though, Mike is taking it one step farther by combining fun food with the festival.

Saturday its steamed oysters—that’s the Rock—and Sunday there’s a barbecue showdown. That’s the Roast.

The headliners for the festival, Big Something on Saturday and Pink Talking Fish on Sunday will be capping two days of great music.

And the weather will make this an even better event, with daytime temperature hovering around 70 and bright sunshine.

Proceeds from the Mustang Rock & Roast supports two fantastic causes—the Corolla Wild Horse Fund and the Mustang Outreach program that helps to supplement the music programs in local schools, teaching kids about music and performance.

The Mustang Rock & Roast is just one of a number of great fall events on the Outer Banks. Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associates has the perfect accommodations and great rates for an autumn getaway.

Perfect Beach Days on the Outer Banks

Abundant sunshine, a warm but not hot day, and gentle surf--perfect for a day at the beach. — Abundant sunshine, a warm but not hot day, and gentle surf–perfect for a day at the beach.

We have had a series of perfect beach days here on the Outer Banks, and today was no exception. And, the good news is, there doesn’t seem to be anything out there that will change that for the next three or four days.

What constitutes a perfect day for the beach?

First—there has to be abundant sunshine. But, it’s important that the sun doesn’t heat things up too much, and that has been the conditions for the past few days and it looks like the rest of the week. The forecast calls for daytime highs in the mid 80s—29 to 30 degrees for our Celsius friends.

A light breeze is nice as well. The ocean water temperature has been hovering around 75 degrees; that’s warm enough to be soothing but cool enough to be refreshing.

Finally—almost as important as the abundant sunshine—a relatively calm surf.

We fully understand that surfers will disagree with this last point, because there’s not much of a point to trying to surf an ankle high wave, but to families with little kids especially, it is a great introduction to how much fun it can be to play in the ocean.

There is not too much on the horizon that is going to change the conditions either. Way out in the Atlantic (way, way out) there is a system that the National Hurricane Center believes may become a named storm in the next day or two. Debbi if it gets to that point.

However, that system is about 1500 or 1600 miles out to sea and north of the Outer Banks and drifting northeast. It’s probably a concern for London, England more than anywhere in North America.

It all adds up to this is a great time to visit the Outer Banks. If you’re planning a visit, see what’s available at Joe Lamb Jr., & Associates & Associates.

When Rain Goes Away Musicians Come Out to Play

First Friday in downtown Manteo. It looks like the rain will be gone and it should be a good evening for music and visiting.

Live Outdoor Music Back on Tap for Upcoming Week

We have had a lot of rain here on the Outer Banks over the past week. If the rain gauge at the Dare County Airport on Roanoke Island is accurate—and it’s the official record keeper—it looks like 14” over the past seven days.

We’ve had a couple of breaks in the clouds and the sun has come out from time to time, but honestly? It’s time for the rain to go away. And if the weather forecast is accurate, we’re going to have another day or day and a half of this, then finally some consistent nice weather.

When it finally clears up, we can go back to some got the things that make summer on the Outer Banks so special.

All of the small outdoor music venues had to cancel their shows this past week. That would be places like Ocean Boulevard, with it’s wonderful setting on the beach road. Or the roof top venue at Rundown Cafe. Both of those are n Kitty Hawk.

In Nags Head it would be hard to find a better place to relax with a drink, watch the sunset over the Roanoke Sound and listen to music than Pamlico Jacks.

And those are just a few of the venues that had to cancel shows this week because of the weather…and thankfully, the weather is looking like it’s going to cooperate for Tuesday evening on.

That also means things are looking great for First Friday this coming Friday in downtown Manteo.

First Friday has truly become one of the Outer Banks summer traditions that people really look forward to. There is four or five block area along the water front in the town that is ideal for enjoying live music, some sidewalk cafes, some art and a night out.

There’s always a lot happening on the Outer Banks. Check out our Joe Lamb Jr., & Associates homes for the perfect location to enjoy all the there is to do and see.

Outer Banks Safety Tips for a Great Vacation

When the red caution flags are flying, please don't swim in the ocean. — When the red caution flags are flying, please don’t swim in the ocean.

For very good reasons the Outer Banks is one of the most popular places for families to visit. Fantastic summer weather, great beaches and the ocean is usually a great place to go swimming.

But usually is not always, and there are some days when going in the ocean is dangerous. We call them red flag days because there is always a red flag with no swimming printed on it in bold letter when it’s not safe to go in the water.

The red flags are almost always raised because of the threat of rip currents. Sometimes the surf is so angry that the red flags will go up, but especially in the summer, it’s rip currents.

What is a Rip Current

A rip current is a channel of water that is flowing out to sea.

What causes a rip current are the natural fluctuations in the seabed.
Waves break on sandbars. The sandbar does not have to be particularly high to cause a wave to break, but it does have to be higher than the seabed directly seaward of it. If there is a gap between the sandbars, there will be nothing to cause the waves to break there and as the water flows out, it will naturally flow to that channel.

Because there is no inflowing waves to disrupt the water that is being channeled out to sea, the outgoing water can gain considerable force—far more force that even the strongest swimmer can overcome.

Visually, rip currents tend to be somewhat deceptive. Because there are no waves in the area of the rip current, it often appears as the calmest stretch of water around. It is not!

Safety Tips

A couple of important things to know about rip currents—safety tips that we hope will never be necessary:

Rip currents do not drown swimmers. People drown because they panic and try to swim into the current exhausting themselves.
Do not panic. Swim either parallel to the shore or with the current. When the rip current dissipates, swim into shore.
Rip currents are nearshore events. They only exist in the surf zone. No breaking waves, no rip current.

There are some safety tips that we would like to pass along.:

Do not go in the ocean if the red flags are flying. In the summer, the red flags are almost always warn of riptides. The National Weather Service has gotten quite good at predicting them, so if the flags are flying please do not go in the water.
Swim by a lifeguard.
Go to the beach with someone or in a group.

Red flag days are fairly rare during the summer. Occasionally if a storm is passing offshore, there will be two or three days in a row, but for the most part it’s one day and then the flags come down. Take that day to go shopping or take in some Outer Banks history.

Here at Joe Lamb Jr., & Associates. we want your visit with us to be everting you hoped it would be. A little bit of caution will go a long way to making sure you and your family have a great time on the Outer Banks.

Category: Outer Banks Weather