Topline
The National Hurricane Center on Wednesday warned that Hurricane Erin will cause “life-threatening rip currents” across most beaches along the East Coast for the next few days as it moves northward through the Atlantic, prompting some state authorities to ban swimming at several beaches while North Carolina declared a state of emergency.
In an early morning update, the National Hurricane Center said “swimming at most U.S. East Coast beaches will remain dangerous over the next few days due to life-threatening rip currents.”
The agency also noted that the storm surge and tropical storm warnings were in effect across parts of North Carolina as the Hurricane moves northward along the Atlantic with maximum sustained wind speeds of 100 mph.
While the hurricane is not expected to make landfall in the U.S., the rip current warnings prompted several states—including North Carolina, New York, New Jersey and Delaware—to shut some beaches and impose swimming bans.
Earlier on Tuesday, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein declared a state of emergency to prepare for the impact of Erin. In a statement, the governor said: “Hurricane Erin will bring threats of coastal flooding, beach erosion, and dangerous surf conditions…North Carolinians along the coast should get prepared now, ensure their emergency kit is ready, and listen to local emergency guidelines and alerts in the event they need to evacuate.” Stein is scheduled to hold a media briefing to address the status of the hurricane.
According to the NHC’s update, tropical storm conditions are expected to form over parts of North Carolina’s Outer Banks later on Wednesday. The hurricane is also likely to trigger storm surges as high as 4 feet along the state’s coast. Stein’s office also warned that as Erin grows in size and strength over the next two days, it is expected to cause “extensive beach erosion with waves of 15 to 20 feet.” The strong currents could also lead to coastal flooding that “may impact roads, structures, and vehicles,” the statement added