Hurricane Erin triggers storm alerts in N.C., Virginia as some East Coast beaches shut

Data: NOAA; Map: Axios VisualsHurricane Erin's threats prompted North Carolina's governor to declare a state of emergency as the massive storm began bringing huge swells that were impacting the N.C. Outer Banks on Tuesday.The big picture: The storm is not forecast to make landfall in the United States, but forecasters warned of "life-threatening" storm surges, coastal overwash and flooding along the U.S. East Coast this week. Screenshot: NCDOT NC12/XMandatory evacuation orders are in effect in North Carolina's Dare and Hyde counties, including for Ocracoke and Hatteras islands,Swimming bans and beach closures were in effect in N.C. and other states, including New York City's Long Island ocean beaches, and parts of New Jersey and Delaware due to threats of flooding, rough surf conditions and potential rip tides from the hurricane.Threat level: A storm surge warning is in effect for Cape Lookout to Duck, N.C. Beaufort Inlet, N.C., to Duck, including Pamlico and Albemarle sounds. are also under a tropical storm warning.A tropical storm watch is in effect for north of Duck to Chincoteague, Virginia, and also Bermuda.Highway 12 "will likely be washed out for several days," per a Hyde County Facebook post.The NHC expects storm surges of up to 4 feet along parts of the N.C. coast. Portions of coastal South Carolina and Virginia, up to Chincoteague Island, Va., could see storm surges of 1-3 ft.State of play: The now-Category 2 storm has fluctuated in intensity from a Category 5 hurricane for days and was expected to continue to do so this week.The hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 105 mph some 570 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C., as it churned in a north-northwestly direction at 10 mph, per an 8pm Tuesday ET National Hurricane Center forecast discussion.The NHC noted "Erin is a large hurricane," with hurricane-force winds extending outward up to 80 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extending outward up to 230 miles.The center of the storm was expected to pass to the east of the Bahamas on Tuesday night and then move over the western Atlantic between the U.S. East Coast and Bermuda on Wednesday and Thursday. Screenshot: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy/XWhat's next: The storm was expected to pass between North Carolina and Bermuda within the next 24 to 36 hours, National Hurricane Center director Michael Brennan said in a Tuesday evening video update posted to the NHC's social media channels.Although its not forecast to landfall in the United States, Brennan noted the hurricane's "expansive wind field" will "cause dangerous ocean conditions and life-threatening storm surges along the U.S. East Coast, particularly on the North Carolina Outer Banks."The storm's "expansive wind field will cause dangerous ocean conditions and life-threatening storm surges along the U.S. East Coast, particularly on the North Carolina Outer Banks," Brennan said."Significant inundation is also predicted for northeastern South Carolina and the Hampton Roads area. Rip current risks are high from Florida to New England."Background: Erin formed as a tropical storm on Aug. 11 and became on Friday the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season.The storm flooded Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands over the weekend.Between the lines: Research shows climate change is increasing hurricane wind speeds.Erin experienced "rapid strengthening" as the hurricane passed over "unusually warm ocean waters" that Climate Central data shows were made "up to 100 times more likely" due to human-caused climate change.Go deeper: How climate change supercharged Hurricanes Helene, MiltonEditor's note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Comments

World news

ICE deports 6-year-old girl and her mom to Ecuador as New York officials blast Trump: ‘Where is your humanity?’

Independent

Trump blares ‘Whiter Shade of Pale’ and shows off umbrella flown from Mar-a-Lago in bonkers tour of White House Rose Garden

about 4 hours ago

Three children - all under the age of three - led cops to scene of parents’ murder-suicide while looking for food

Independent

Comments

Similar News

Hurricane Erin mapped: Tracking areas most likely to see the impacts of storm surge and 20-foot waves

Hurricane Erin gusts shut down East Coast beaches and swimmers from Carolinas to NYC to Cape Cod

Hurricane Erin pounds US east coast as residents brace for ‘life-threatening’ waves

Hurricane Erin live updates: Storm to bring ‘powerful’ 20 foot waves and flooding risk along US East Coast

Hurricane Erin dramatically shifts trajectory after lashing the Caribbean with rain and high winds

Hurricane Erin approaches U.S., prompting warnings from Florida to New York

Hurricane Erin sparks huge waves and evacuations in North Carolina’s Outer Banks

U.S. East Coast faces "life-threatening" wave threats from Hurricane Erin

Hurricane Erin knocks out power lines in Puerto Rico before heading north

Hurricane Erin could bring dangerous surf to U.S. after pelting Caribbean

Hurricane threatens US East Coast with life-threatening waves

Homes evacuated as Hurricane Erin to create dangerous waves along US coast

Hurricane Erin prompts evacuation orders along N.C. Outer Banks

Hurricane Erin tracker: Maps show mega 160mph storm heading straight for tourist hotspot

Thousands without power after Hurricane Erin strikes Puerto Rico

Hurricane Erin downgraded to Category 3, expected to turn northward: meteorologists

Hurricane Erin weakens to category 3 as storm lashes Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands

Hurricane Erin reaches wind speeds of up to 160mph near Caribbean

Hurricane Erin Explodes In Strength To A Category 5 Storm In The Caribbean

Hurricane Erin explodes into Cat 5 storm and is expected to double - even triple - in coming days

World news

ICE deports 6-year-old girl and her mom to Ecuador as New York officials blast Trump: ‘Where is your humanity?’

Pope Leo to live in Vatican ‘flatshare’ when he moves into papal apartments

Police investigate death of French online star who died during livestream after ‘10 days of torture’

Service dog reunited with blind owner two months after being stolen from Chicago backyard

Russian foreign minister warns West over excluding Moscow from Ukraine security discussions

Hurricane Erin gusts shut down East Coast beaches and swimmers from Carolinas to NYC to Cape Cod

Voters likely to back Reeves’s ‘mansion tax’ on homes above £1.5m, pollsters say

How to Halt the Flow of Weapons Arming Mexican Cartels

Trump's war on the Fed is escalating

Japan proposes 'economic zone' linking Indian Ocean to Africa, seeks greater role in the region

Myanmar's military retakes a strategic town 2 years after the resistance captured it

‘On behalf of the Islamic State’: Security video shows terror attack on Surrey bus

Brit found dead on cruise ship docked in Italy as fellow passengers try to save him

Bakery fan, 22, nearly throws up after realising what's in cheese and bacon roll

Denmark scraps book tax to fight 'reading crisis'

German controversy surrounds jail term for transgender far-right extremist

Tulsi Gabbard revokes security clearances of 37 US intelligence officials

Watch: Fire rages at Milan airport check-in desk

Monsoon Rains Bring Mumbai to a Standstill

Italians Pay Final Respects to Pippo Baudo, Their ‘King of Television’

Lost everything in a storm? Good luck. FEMA to require email address for aid as families rebuild after disasters

California resident tests positive for plague after camping near Lake Tahoe

The Latest: Texas GOP poised to approve map gerrymandered for their advantage

Moment 11-year-old girl learns she’s getting a new heart after almost a year of waiting

Israel gives final approval for controversial settlement plan

Dr. Phil sued by Christian broadcaster for ‘reprehensible conduct’ in $500 million deal: ‘Years-long fraudulent scheme’

Kid Rock hits back with lewd insult after Newsom mocks him with Trump-style post

US Navy ship USS New Orleans catches fire while docked in Japan

Jeanine Pirro will let people carry shotguns and rifles in DC - despite Trump’s crackdown - without fear of prosecution

‘We need to find him’: Family claims cops took five hours to respond when they reported their child missing

Where could Putin and Zelensky meet for Ukraine war summit?

Costco members sound off as Pepsi-to-Coke switch begins nationwide

ICE ‘used popular chain hotel’ to detain migrants despite company pledging not to participate

RFK Jr. finally reveals why he wears jeans to the gym

Building explodes after hit-and-run driver strikes gas line in dramatic video

Trump demands Lisa Cook, first black woman Fed Reserve member, ‘resign, now!!!’ and accuses her of mortgage fraud

Trump set to bar college graduates from debt relief program if employers undermine ‘American values’

Trump blares ‘Whiter Shade of Pale’ and shows off umbrella flown from Mar-a-Lago in bonkers tour of White House Rose Garden

Three children - all under the age of three - led cops to scene of parents’ murder-suicide while looking for food

The nine holiday hotspots with current cases of deadly ‘suitcase viruses’

Putin's top diplomat warns of 'road to nowhere' in Ukraine security talks

Woman ‘threatened with rape and dragged to basement by police’ in Serbia protests

GCSE students could be ‘turned away’ from sixth forms unless they get top grades

I don’t want to go on holiday – I’m too worried about my tomatoes

Congo's draft peace deal with M23 seeks to return government control to rebel-held areas

China's Xi makes a rare visit to Tibet to mark 60 years of contested rule there

Lawyer for activist Jimmy Lai defends free speech in landmark Hong Kong trial

Manitoba RCMP say same man suspected in pair of Richer-area break-ins

Gavin Newsom not ‘surprised’ by GOP lawsuit to block redistricting plan

‘America we are BACK!’ White House launches official TikTok account

HHS workers accuse RFK Jr. of stoking violence against them

Voyeurism added to lengthy list of charges for Winnipeg man: police

Horror moment 'killer' dogs attack as residents hit out over string of maulings

Meredith Kercher’s family lawyer slams Amanda Knox over new Disney murder drama

Gavin Newsom is expertly trolling Fox News stars by mimicking Trump online — right down to the nicknames

What could US and European security guarantees look like for Ukraine?

Putin and Zelensky have only met once before – here’s what happened