Erin begins to strengthen as massive waves, rip currents close East Coast beaches: 'A great risk of death'

HATTERAS, N.C. – Hurricane Erin has once again started to restrengthen and could become a major hurricane as the dangerous storm churns in the Atlantic waters hundreds of miles off the U.S., prompting officials to close beaches along the East Coast from the mid-Atlantic to the Northeast due to massive waves and potentially deadly rip currents just as families take their final vacations of the summer.

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER

Hurricane Erin remains a powerful Category 2 hurricane with winds of 110 mph. However, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said additional strengthening is likely over the next day or so, and Erin could become a major hurricane (Category 3 or higher) by Wednesday night.

Hurricane Erin isn’t forecast to make landfall along the U.S. East Coast.

However, dangerous impacts are expected nonetheless due to outer rain bands possibly lashing North Carolina’s Outer Banks, where Tropical Storm Warnings and Storm Surge Warnings remain in effect.

The Tropical Storm Warning is now in effect from Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina, to Chincoteague, Virginia, including Pamlico and Albemarle sounds.

Officials in Dare, Hyde and Currituck counties declared local states of emergency and issued mandatory evacuation orders for tourists and residents in popular areas like Ocracoke Island and Hatteras Island.

In Currituck County, a mandatory evacuation was ordered for the off-road area of Corolla, and that went into effect early Wednesday morning.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE FOX WEATHER APP

State officials, including North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, held a news conference on Wednesday to provide an update on preparations ahead of the life-threatening impacts from Hurricane Erin.

"Yesterday, I declared a state of emergency across North Carolina to facilitate our emergency response and to keep you safe," Stein said. "The statewide state of emergency enables us to send critical resources across the state and around the country to respond."

Stein said a cross-agency response has been implemented, including the Department of Public Safety and Department of Transportation, as well as the North Carolina National Guard, the state Highway Patrol and other local partners.

"We have already pre-positioned three swift-water rescue teams and 200 National Guard troops to various locations on the coast, along with boats, high-clearance vehicles and aircraft," Stein continued.

North Carolina Emergency Management Director William Ray pleaded with people to evacuate if told to do so before conditions deteriorate.

"Do not drive around barricades and do not drive through flooded waters," Ray said. "You cannot judge the depth or speed of the floodwaters from inside your vehicle."

Ray also said the North Carolina coast will likely see life-threatening effects of the strengthening hurricane.

"Extremely large, dangerous waves forecasted around 20 feet in height, along with a storm surge of 2 to 4 feet on top of the surf, will likely impact the dunes along portions of the North Carolina coast, especially east- and southeast-facing beaches on the Outer Banks," he said.

Stein said that anyone who defies an evacuation order and remains in areas vulnerable to coastal flooding and storm-surge flooding is putting their lives at risk.

"When there is a major storm, when there is flooding, there is a great risk of death," he warned. "And what we don’t want is for people to die."

He went on to say that officials are doing what they can to keep people safe.

"We’re going to do everything in our power to keep people safe. If you’re on one of the two islands, Hatteras or Ocracoke, and can get off still, we urge you to do that. And if you have not evacuated, make sure to batten down the hatches."

North Carolina Emergency Management officials opened a State Operated Shelter (SOS) in conjunction with Warren County Emergency Management for those who needed to evacuate due to Hurricane Erin.

Due to the threats of a storm surge and large waves of up to 12 feet in some spots, local officials and forecasters have been warning people to stay out of the water for safety.

A spokesperson for Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, told FOX Weather their rescue crews conducted nearly 60 water rescues on Monday and another 20 on Tuesday due to strong rip currents. The town has now told all beachgoers to stay out of the water through Friday as Erin gets even closer. 

"These swells are producing powerful rip currents that can create extremely hazardous swimming conditions," said Sam Proffitt, director of Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue. "The safety of our beachgoers is always our top priority, and we urge everyone to follow this advisory."

Where is Hurricane Erin?

As of the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Hurricane Erin has maximum sustained winds of 110 mph with some higher gusts, and strengthening is expected.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles from Erin’s center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 265 miles.

Hurricane Erin is currently located about 335 miles to the south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and is moving off to the north at 13 mph.

The NHC said that Hurricane Erin is expected to turn to the north-northeast later Wednesday and Wednesday night, followed by a faster motion toward the northeast and east-northeast by Thursday and Friday.

On that forecast track, the center of Hurricane Erin will move over the western Atlantic between the East Coast and Bermuda through early Friday, and then pass south of Atlantic Canada on Friday and Saturday.