Hurricane Erin, which continued its northwest trajectory over the western Atlantic on Tuesday, is expected to pass well offshore of North Carolina later this week.
Its substantial wind and wave field will still pose significant risks to the East Coast, including dangerous surf, rip currents, and coastal flooding in certain areas.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has issued warnings and watches, reflecting the potential threat along the coast.
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect from Cape Lookout to Duck, North Carolina, while a Tropical Storm Watch covers Beaufort Inlet to Duck, encompassing Pamlico Sound.
Tropical storm warnings remain in place for the Turks and Caicos and parts of the Bahamas.
The NHC has also cautioned that dangerous rip currents are anticipated along much of the U.S. East Coast beaches over the next few days.
In response to the risks, officials in North Carolina’s Outer Banks have ordered evacuations in vulnerable areas.
Forecasters emphasize the potential for ocean overwash, beach erosion, and periods of tropical-storm-force winds, particularly around high tides.
Portions of N.C. Highway 12 could become impassable if water levels rise as projected. Even without a U.S. landfall, forecasters anticipate waves of 15 to 25 feet offshore, leading to substantial coastal impacts from the Carolinas to the Mid-Atlantic.
Rip current risks are expected to extend up the Eastern Seaboard.
Erin is expected to affect Bermuda and later transition as it moves into the North Atlantic.
