 Hurricane Isabel first began affecting North Carolina about 15 hours before it struck land . Upon making landfall along the Outer Banks , the hurricane produced strong waves of 15 to 25 feet ( 4 @.@ 5 to 6 m ) in height and a storm surge of about 6 to 8 feet ( 1 @.@ 8 to 2 @.@ 4 m ) . Waters reached a height of 7 @.@ 15 feet ( 2 @.@ 18 m ) in Hatteras . Storm tides along the coast peaked at 7 @.@ 7 feet ( 2 @.@ 3 m ) in Cape Hatteras , though the total could be higher there due to the tide gage being destroyed by the hurricane . The surge and waves created a new inlet by washing out a portion of Hatteras Island between Hatteras and Frisco . Unofficially named Isabel Inlet , the break was 2 @,@ 000 feet ( 600 m ) wide and 15 feet ( 5 m ) deep , and consisted of three distinct channels . The formation of the inlet destroyed a portion of North Carolina Highway 12 , and also washed out three homes , dunes , power lines , and utility pipes . The new inlet destroyed all utility connections to Hatteras Village , isolating the residents there . The storm surge and waves from Isabel also resulted in a breach between Hatteras and Hatteras Inlet . The breach , which nearly became an inlet , formed from the flow of ocean water across the island , though it was not deep enough for a constant water flow . The breach occurred in an area without roads or houses , and had little impact on Hatteras residents . Rough surf and storm surge caused overwash and severe beach erosion throughout the Outer Banks , with flooding in Ocracoke reportedly being up to waist @-@ high . The hurricane produced an estimated 4 inches ( 100 mm ) of rain throughout most of the Outer Banks , with Duck reporting a peak of 4 @.@ 72 inches ( 120 mm ) . Wind gusts in association with the hurricane peaked at 105 mph ( 170 km / h ) in Ocracoke , with several other locations reporting hurricane @-@ force gusts . 
