Hurricane Erin begins to unleash ocean's fury on US East Coast: Live updates

USA Today

8 hours ago

Hurricane Erin's higher tides and big waves have arrived along much of the U.S. East Coast, with the large storm prompting the expansion of tropical storm and coastal flooding advisories.
Beachfront property owners are bracing for the worst with predictions for a life-threatening storm surge of up to 4 feet and significant coastal erosion, with waves expected to batter beaches for 48 hours or more as the hurricane crawls northward offshore through at least Aug. 21, if not longer.
Along North Carolina's Outer Banks, which is under a state emergency order, tides and waves began building on Aug. 19, even with Erin still more than 500 miles away. As an afternoon high tide approached in Buxton, ocean waves already were rushing under some beachfront structures on pilings and washing over portions of Highway 12, the main transportation artery for the islands.
"We've seen some very impressive, and dangerous, waves on webcams up and down the coast," Roger Martin, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Morehead City, North Carolina, said in an evening update. "Significant, and large, breaking waves … will only strengthen over the next 24-48 hours," he said.
The Category 2 hurricane saw its winds weaken to as low as 100 mph on Aug. 19 as its north side battled winds, but the National Hurricane Center said early on Aug. 20 that the storm had reformed an inner eye wall, and a Hurricane Hunter mission this morning is expected to help the center determine if winds have increased in response.
"Erin is a large hurricane and growing," the weather service said the morning of Aug. 20.
The official forecast states the storm could see its winds increase to 110 mph as it passes North Carolina on Aug. 21. Erin formed on Aug. 11 from a tropical wave that moved across the Cabo Verde Islands. By Aug. 15, Erin was a hurricane and quickly joined the ranks of the fastest intensifying hurricanes on record.
Even though Erin is expected to stay hundreds of miles offshore, its impacts are forecast to worsen as it crawls northward and makes its closest approach to the U.S. mainland. Erin was generating waves of 35 feet or more at an ocean buoy east-northeast of the Bahamas on Aug. 19, creating swells and stirring up a broad swath of the ocean.
Erin's deadly rip currents forecast
From South Florida to Long Island, officials warn of life-threatening rip currents, urging those who visit the beach to stay out of the water, no matter how clear the skies are overhead. But in North Carolina on Aug. 19, surfers flocked to the coast.
"The waves that Erin is going to kick up as it moves across the western Atlantic are going to create some very dangerous ocean conditions," said hurricane center Director Michael Brennan. In addition to flying red warning flags, many beaches have been closed to swimmers.
Erin was centered about 455 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, early in the morning on Aug. 20, and moving in a north-northwest direction. It's forecast to turn to the north and then east-northeast along a path that takes it out into the open Atlantic.
Given the forecast for the hurricane to grow in size as it passes the coast a few hundred miles offshore, tropical storm force warnings were extended to a few inland locations along the Albemarle Sound, and northward along a portion of the Virginia Coast.
Outer Banks brace for big waves and high water from Erin
State officials said it's likely that Highway 12 along the Outer Banks of North Carolina could be impassable for several days after the storm, given the duration of Erin's high tides and pounding waves.
"We cannot put this more bluntly: We now EXPECT there will be times over the next week that NC12 becomes impassable due to significant ocean over wash," stated the North Carolina Department of Transportation. In a worst-case scenario, the highway could be closed for several days, officials said this week.Evacuations were underway for visitors and others who wouldn't feel safe with the only highway closed for several days, including mandatory orders on Ocracoke and Hatteras islands. Dare County made buses available to those who needed transportation to evacuate and advised them to bring clothing and medicines for seven days.
The transportation department pushed up sand piles to try to safeguard the highway from water washing over or through the dunes. Major flooding is forecast at Duck, North Carolina, but several inches below the record of 7.8 feet, the weather service said.
The weather service sees an increasing likelihood that some areas more inland and on the mainland, including Dare County, could experience some tropical storm force winds.
Nearly 75 rip current rescues were reported this week in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, south of the Outer Banks.
State-by-state Erin forecast details
The weather service and state officials have provided the following information:
New York: Widespread dune erosion and beach flooding are likely with successive high tides through Friday morning, with waves of up to 15 feet or more and higher-than-normal tides. Gusts up to 40 mph are possible, with the highest winds expected along eastern Long Island.
State officials advised residents to prepare for the possibility of dangerous conditions along beaches and coastal communities. New York Mayor Eric Adams directed the closing of all beaches for swimming on Aug. 20 and Aug. 21.
New Jersey/Delaware: Tropical storm force gusts are possible along the coast on Thursday, breaking waves of 5 to 8 feet on Wednesday and 7 to 11 feet on Thursday.
Maryland: Higher tides could lead to coastal flooding, and winds are expected to increase over Chesapeake Bay overnight Wednesday. Coastal flood advisories were issued, including a flood warning for Annapolis, where flooding is expected in the low-lying historic community.
Virginia: Minor or isolated coastal flooding is expected through the weekend.
South Carolina and Georgia: 'Significant' ocean swells are expected, with breaking waves of 6 feet or higher through Wednesday night, with the period of greatest concern expected during Wednesday night's high tide. Coastal flooding is also possible, but major flooding is not forecast.
Florida: As with all other states to its north, Florida is expecting a high risk of life-threatening rip currents north of Palm Beach County. In South Florida, largely spared the brunt of Erin's ocean activity, the weather service warned conditions could get rougher once the storm passes and starts to blow ocean waves in from the north.
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Hurricane Erin tracker
This forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time.