Hurricane Erin Threatens East Coast with Massive Waves
Dangerous surf, flooding hit North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
Hurricane Erin, a formidable Category 2 storm with 110 mph winds, is intensifying as it churns 215 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, unleashing dangerous surf and life-threatening rip currents along the US East Coast. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warns that Erin, spanning 500 miles with tropical storm-force winds, could strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane by Thursday night, though it is not expected to make direct landfall. Its massive size is already battering North Carolina’s Outer Banks, where Highway 12 on Hatteras Island is closed due to surging seawater and 20-foot waves, cutting off villages and ferry routes to Ocracoke Island.
Tropical storm warnings are in effect from Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina, to Chincoteague, Virginia, with moderate coastal flooding anticipated from South Carolina to New York’s Long Island. New York City, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware have shuttered beaches, with over 80 rip current rescues reported at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, since Monday. “Even experienced swimmers aren’t safe,” warned NHC forecaster Bob Oravec, noting that Erin’s effects extend far from its center. Nantucket, Massachusetts, braces for 10-foot waves, while Virginia Beach sees robust swells boosting the East Coast Surfing Championships, though events pause Thursday as Erin nears.
North Carolina’s Governor Josh Stein declared a state of emergency, urging residents to heed evacuation orders for Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. Despite warnings, some locals remain unfazed. “I’ve seen worse; we’ll manage,” said Hatteras resident Jacob Throne, recalling past storms. However, Cape Hatteras National Seashore superintendent David Hallac cautioned that dozens of beachfront homes, already weakened by chronic erosion, face significant risk from storm surges of 2-4 feet. Dare County Emergency Management reported overwash flooding roads, with Highway 12 likely impassable through Friday.
Also Read: Hurricane Erin Surges to Catastrophic Category 5
Erin’s rapid intensification—from a tropical storm to a Category 5 with 160 mph winds in just 25 hours last weekend—marks it as one of the fastest-strengthening Atlantic hurricanes on record, fueled by warm ocean waters and low wind shear, per the NHC. Climate scientists link such extreme escalation to global warming, with ocean temperatures providing unprecedented fuel. The NHC is also monitoring two tropical disturbances east of Erin, potentially forming new cyclones, as the Atlantic hurricane season nears its September peak.
In Bermuda, tropical storm conditions are expected Thursday, with residents urged to avoid swimming. While Erin is forecast to veer northeast into the open Atlantic by Friday, its size ensures prolonged coastal impacts, including beach erosion and power outages from gusts. “This is not the week to swim,” said Dare County’s Drew Pearson, emphasizing the deadly rip current threat, which claims more lives annually than hurricanes. As Erin looms, the East Coast braces for a turbulent week, with preparations intensifying to protect lives and property.
Also Read: Caribbean Braces as Hurricane Erin Strengthens Rapidly
