North Carolina’s Outer Banks under Tropical Storm, Storm Surge Warnings as Hurricane Erin spins closer to US

HATTERAS, N.C. – A dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation may be about to unfold across portions of the East Coast after new Tropical Storm Warnings and Storm Surge Warnings were issued for North Carolina’s Outer Banks as Hurricane Erin approaches the U.S.

Hurricane Erin is not expected to make landfall in the United States, but forecasters are becoming increasingly concerned that outer bands from the growing hurricane could lash portions of the North Carolina coast with tropical-storm-force winds and heavy rain as the storm moves by. 

Massive waves generated by Hurricane Erin are also expected to pound the coast and rip currents could turn deadly for anyone daring to enter the water.

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The National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued a Tropical Storm Warning from Beaufort Inlet to Duck, North Carolina, and a Tropical Storm Watch is in effect from north of Duck to Cape Charles Light in Virginia.

A Storm Surge Warning was issued for the North Carolina Outer Banks from Cape Lookout to Duck.

Because of the danger, officials in some North Carolina communities told residents and visitors to evacuate and declared local states of emergency ahead of the possible life-threatening impacts.

"The State Emergency Response Team is poised and ready to respond to any needs from our local communities this week," North Carolina Emergency Management Director Will Ray said in a statement. "As forecasted impacts become clearer, we will plan for the pre-positioning of any necessary resources for rapid deployment along our coast. In the meantime, all visitors and residents along the coast should follow the instructions of local emergency management officials to keep you and your family safe," he added.

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Officials said that with the forecast showing the potential for tropical-storm-force winds, dangerous surf with waves of 15-20 feet at local beaches, flooding of roads and neighborhoods and rip currents along the Outer Banks, officials in some counties announced evacuation orders over the weekend.

Hyde County declared a local state of emergency for Ocracoke Island, and a mandatory evacuation order was issued for visitors on Sunday night and for residents on Tuesday morning.

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Dare County also declared a state of emergency and ordered the evacuation of Hatteras Island, which includes the communities of Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras. Visitors began to evacuate on Monday, and residents started their evacuation on Tuesday morning.

A spokesperson for Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, told FOX Weather their rescue crews conducted nearly 60 water rescues on Monday due to strong rip currents. The town has now told all beachgoers to stay out of the water from Tuesday 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."

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To the north in New Jersey, officials have prohibited swimming and other recreational water activities due to massive waves and life-threatening rip currents.

Swimming, mobile sport fishing vehicle access and other programs have been suspended at Island Beach State Park through at least Thursday due to the hazardous water conditions.

In Wildwood, swimming was prohibited on all local beaches due to the dangerous surf conditions.

"The Wildwood Beach Patrol advises everyone to stay out of the water and to heed all warnings," the police department said. "This restriction includes after-hours, when lifeguards are off-duty."

The Margate City Beach Patrol has also prohibited swimming and bathing until further notice.

"We do not recommend surfing and kayaking at this time," officials said. "Any surfers and kayakers who do venture into the water will be performing these activities at their own risk."

The Margate City Beach Patrol said that wasn’t a decision that they came to lightly, but their "priority is the safety of our beachgoers and lifeguards."

HURRICANE ERIN THREATENS NORTH CAROLINA'S OUTER BANKS WITH ‘EXTREME BEACH AND COASTAL DAMAGE’

Where is Hurricane Erin?

Hurricane Erin has maximum sustained winds of 105 mph with some higher gusts, and the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that some fluctuations in strength are possible over the next few days.

Hurricane Erin rapidly intensified last week, going from a Category 1 hurricane to a Category 5 hurricane with winds of 160 mph in a matter of hours. 

At the time, it was a tiny, compact storm, but that’s no longer the case.

"The more important part of the forecast is that model guidance has continued to show Erin growing in size, and the wind radii have been made larger in the new NHC forecast," the NHC said. "This new forecast now brings tropical-storm-force winds very close to the Mid-Atlantic and southern New England coast later this week."

Currently, hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles from Erin's center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 205 miles.

Hurricane Erin is located less than 700 miles to the south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and is moving off to the northwest at 9 mph.

The NHC said a turn toward the north-northwest with an increase in forward speed is expected on Tuesday, followed by a northward motion on Wednesday and then a northeastward motion on Thursday.

On that track, the center of Hurricane Erin is expected to pass to the east of the Bahamas on Tuesday and Tuesday night, and then move over the western Atlantic between the U.S. East Coast and Bermuda on Wednesday and Thursday.