Hurricane Erin, now a Category 2 storm, is bearing down on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, where conditions are expected to worsen significantly through Wednesday and into Thursday. Residents and visitors in some areas have been ordered to evacuate, while the entire region remains under a tropical storm warning.
Erin’s wind field has been expanding steadily, fueling destructive surf, dangerous rip currents, and massive waves along the Atlantic coast. Officials warn that these conditions will not only persist throughout the week but also extend far beyond North Carolina, impacting states all the way from Florida to New England. The National Weather Service has stressed that life-threatening conditions will continue, and many popular beaches have already closed to swimmers in anticipation of the storm’s impacts. Erin’s outer rainbands have started brushing the Outer Banks, bringing heavy rain and rough winds, and although low tide briefly eased coastal flooding, the next high tide early Thursday morning is expected to intensify the situation, with waves possibly reaching 10 to 20 feet.
Portions of North Carolina Highway 12, a vital road that connects the Outer Banks, have already been closed due to flooding and storm surge, with transportation officials urging drivers to avoid submerged roads. They repeated the stark warning: “Turn around, don’t drown,” as rising water levels made travel unsafe. While Erin is not currently projected to make landfall, experts caution that it still poses devastating risks for the East Coast. The first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season is forecast to generate rough surf, massive waves, and rip currents powerful enough to overwhelm even the strongest swimmers. Climate scientists also point out that average sea levels in many East Coast communities are now about half a foot higher than they were just decades ago, meaning storms like Erin exacerbate coastal erosion and flooding in ways they did not before.
Kimberly McKenna, interim director of the Coastal Research Center at Stockton University in New Jersey, explained that the timing of Erin’s waves with high tide could bring some of the worst impacts, although states will have to wait and see how much damage the storm delivers to their coasts. In Buxton, North Carolina, images already show waves crashing against sandbagged buildings and storm surge surging under the Cape Hatteras Motel, with heavy equipment working to clear floodwaters from NC 12. Conditions are expected to deteriorate further as the night progresses, with waves continuing to build into the coast. Forecasts suggest Erin could briefly strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane as it tracks northward between Bermuda and the U.S. coastline over the next 12 to 24 hours before eventually curving out to sea later this week.
Even without landfall, the hurricane’s wide wind field is spreading destructive surf and rip currents across the East Coast, prompting high surf advisories from Florida to Maine. Authorities warn that the risks will last until at least Friday, with waves in some regions, including the Outer Banks, reaching heights of 20 feet. More than 2,000 residents and visitors have already evacuated Ocracoke Island by ferry after mandatory orders were issued, and while ferry service will continue as long as weather conditions permit, worsening seas may soon make travel impossible. Hatteras Island Rescue Squad Chief Jack Scarborough expressed concern that if storm surge reaches 2 to 4 feet and large waves push inland, response efforts could become nearly impossible.
Governor Josh Stein has declared a state of emergency across North Carolina and warned that residents should expect “dangerous surf, life-threatening storm surge, flooding, beach erosion, and damage to roadways.” He reminded the public not to drive through floodwaters and emphasized that no one should risk being in the ocean under current conditions. Other states are also taking precautions. New York City beaches have been closed through Thursday due to strong riptides, with Mayor Eric Adams urging residents to comply even if they are confident swimmers. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has also warned beachgoers to stay out of the water, citing possible flooding and hazardous surf.
High surf advisories remain in effect from Florida to Massachusetts, with peak destructive waves expected Wednesday into Thursday. Rip currents remain a major danger, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration noting that some can reach speeds up to eight feet per second, faster than even an Olympic swimmer. From Miami to Long Island, the risk for rip currents is at its highest. With conditions rapidly worsening and officials across multiple states issuing urgent warnings, Hurricane Erin is a stark reminder of how storms can inflict devastating consequences even without direct landfall. Forecasters say conditions may start to improve late Friday into Saturday as the storm moves farther out into the Atlantic, but until then, the East Coast remains under threat, with beaches closed, evacuations underway, and the focus firmly on safety.
