North Carolina coasts prepare for flooding as Hurricane Erin churns offshore
The storm underwent historically rapid intensification and briefly peaked at Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
– Hurricane Erin maintained its Category 2 strength early on the morning of Aug 20 as North Carolina's coasts prepared for life-threatening coastal flooding, with mandatory evacuations under way for some islands, US authorities said.
The storm, which underwent historically rapid intensification and briefly peaked at Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale,
swamped homes and roads in the US island territory of Puerto Rico .
Although its core is projected to remain far offshore, meteorologists are concerned by Erin's large size, with tropical storm-force winds extending hundreds of metres from its core.
'Weather conditions (are) expected to deteriorate along the coast of North Carolina by this evening,' the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) warned in its latest advisory.
Erin was located 730km south-east of North Carolina's Cape Hatteras, with maximum sustained winds of 161kmh , and was moving north-north-west, according to the NHC.
Governor Josh Stein declared a state of emergency on the evening of Aug 19 .
'Hurricane Erin will bring threats of coastal flooding, beach erosion and dangerous surf conditions,' he said.
'North Carolinians along the coast should get prepared now, ensure their emergency kit is ready and listen to local emergency guidelines.'
Storm surge warnings were issued for Cape Lookout in North Carolina's south-east further north to the town of Duck, with water levels potentially reaching 60cm to 120cm above ground.
A broader swathe of coastline, from North Carolina to southern Virginia and Bermuda, was under a lower-grade Tropical Storm Watch.
Mandatory evacuations were ordered for Ocracoke and Hatteras islands, while Dare and Hyde counties declared local emergencies, according to the governor's office.
The Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov 30, has entered its historical peak.
Despite a relatively quiet start with just four named storms so far, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration continues to forecast an 'above-normal' season.
Scientists say that climate change is supercharging tropical cyclones: warmer oceans fuel stronger winds, a warmer atmosphere intensifies rainfall and higher sea levels magnify storm surge.
There is also some evidence, though less certain, that climate change is making hurricanes more frequent. AFP
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Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Hurricane Erin, churning north in the Atlantic hundreds of miles offshore, is expected to trigger a dangerous storm surge and tropical storm conditions on Wednesday along North Carolina's Outer Banks and other stretches of the U.S. East Coast. The National Hurricane Center warned that roads in the low-lying barrier islands may become impassable, with waves as high as 20 feet crashing ashore. The heavy surf is likely to result in significant beach erosion, it said in its 8 a.m. EDT update. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, freeing up state money and manpower to help during the storm and its aftermath. Tropical storm and storm-surge warnings are in place for other parts of the North Carolina coastline. Earlier in the week, the coastal counties of Dare and Hyde - which encompass most of the Outer Banks - ordered residents and tourists to evacuate the vulnerable Ocracoke and Hatteras islands, whose populations swell during the summer months. Local media reported that ferries took more than 2,220 people off Ocracoke, with the final sailing scheduled for 11 a.m. on Wednesday. Ferries to Hatteras will keep operating as long as conditions allow, ABC News affiliate WCTI reported. But Chris Styron, manager of the Pony Island Inn on Ocracoke, is ignoring the evacuation orders and staying to watch over the 50-room hotel. "We're used to storms like this," Styron said. "I'm born and raised here. We're not really worried - it's so far offshore." The eye of Erin, rated as a Category 2 storm with sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h), was expected to move midway between the U.S. East Coast and Bermuda on Wednesday and Thursday as it traveled northward, the NHC said. That trajectory will keep the worst of its winds offshore. Tropical-storm-force winds extend up to 265 miles (426 km) from the storm's center, with hurricane-force winds extending for 90 miles. Even so, the NHC warned beachgoers along most of the East Coast to stay out of the water because of "life-threatening surf and rip currents." Along the New Jersey shore, swimming and other water activities were prohibited on beaches from Cape May north to Sandy Hook, with high surf and rip current warnings in effect into Friday, the NWS said. Coastal flooding is expected to peak during high tide on Thursday. New York City Mayor Eric Adams ordered all city public beaches - including Coney Island and Brighton Beach - to close Wednesday and Thursday. Fortunately, temperatures in New York were expected to be seasonably cool on Wednesday and Thursday, with highs only reaching 70 F, well below the average of 82 F. Erin, the fifth named storm of the 2025 Atlantic season and the first to attain hurricane status, had strengthened to a Category 5 storm. The last Atlantic storm to reach that intensity was Hurricane Milton in October 2024. REUTERS
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North Carolina coasts prepare for flooding as Hurricane Erin churns offshore
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The storm underwent historically rapid intensification and briefly peaked at Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale. – Hurricane Erin maintained its Category 2 strength early on the morning of Aug 20 as North Carolina's coasts prepared for life-threatening coastal flooding, with mandatory evacuations under way for some islands, US authorities said. The storm, which underwent historically rapid intensification and briefly peaked at Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, swamped homes and roads in the US island territory of Puerto Rico . Although its core is projected to remain far offshore, meteorologists are concerned by Erin's large size, with tropical storm-force winds extending hundreds of metres from its core. 'Weather conditions (are) expected to deteriorate along the coast of North Carolina by this evening,' the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) warned in its latest advisory. Erin was located 730km south-east of North Carolina's Cape Hatteras, with maximum sustained winds of 161kmh , and was moving north-north-west, according to the NHC. Governor Josh Stein declared a state of emergency on the evening of Aug 19 . 'Hurricane Erin will bring threats of coastal flooding, beach erosion and dangerous surf conditions,' he said. 'North Carolinians along the coast should get prepared now, ensure their emergency kit is ready and listen to local emergency guidelines.' Storm surge warnings were issued for Cape Lookout in North Carolina's south-east further north to the town of Duck, with water levels potentially reaching 60cm to 120cm above ground. A broader swathe of coastline, from North Carolina to southern Virginia and Bermuda, was under a lower-grade Tropical Storm Watch. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for Ocracoke and Hatteras islands, while Dare and Hyde counties declared local emergencies, according to the governor's office. The Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov 30, has entered its historical peak. Despite a relatively quiet start with just four named storms so far, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration continues to forecast an 'above-normal' season. Scientists say that climate change is supercharging tropical cyclones: warmer oceans fuel stronger winds, a warmer atmosphere intensifies rainfall and higher sea levels magnify storm surge. There is also some evidence, though less certain, that climate change is making hurricanes more frequent. AFP
