Will Hurricane Erin hit NJ, Del? See Erin path, beach closures, tropical storm warnings
Beachfront property owners are bracing for life-threatening storm surge of up to four feet and significant coastal flooding as Hurricane Erin's center is expected to roar past the Outer Banks less than 300 miles offshore.
On Wednesday, Aug. 20, the National Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm warning as far north as Chincoteague, Virginia, roughly 60 miles south of the Delaware border.
The massive storm is expected to track north-northeast late Wednesday without a direct U.S. hit, although tropical storm force winds gusts, dangerous surf, high waves and rip currents are posing dangers along the Delaware and Jersey shore coastlines. Here's the latest.
Where is Hurricane Erin now?
Hurricane Erin was about 365 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm was crawling north with sustained maximum winds of 110 mph, with additional strengthening to a Category 3 by later Wednesday. The massive storm is expected to take a north-northeast track later tonight, steering away from the U.S. Still, the storm is battering the North Carolina coast as it nears its closest approach, triggering evacuations, tropical storm warnings and massive flooding.
Will Hurricane Erin hit New Jersey?
Hurricane Erin is not expected to hit New Jersey directly, with the massive storm expected to turn north-northeast by late Wednesday, Aug. 20, followed by a faster move northeast and east-northeast in the Atlantic by Thursday, Aug. 21 and Friday, Aug. 22.
Will Hurricane Erin hit Delaware?
Hurricane Erin is not expected to make landfall in Delaware as the massive storm is expected to track north-northeast tonight, Aug. 20, before a final track northeast and east-northeast by Thursday, Aug. 21 and Friday, Aug. 22. Still, 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. Risks of dangerous rip currents are in effect with coastal flood warnings in areas of Kent and Sussex counties.
Are Wildwood beaches closed in NJ? See list of NJ beaches closed
Jersey shore beaches that closed due to Hurricane Erin announced Monday, Aug. 18, include Wildwood, Margate, and Bay Head. On Tuesday, officials in Cape May, Ocean City, and Longport ordered beachgoers to stay out of the water altogether. The ocean was largely off limits in beach towns that included Atlantic City and Ventnor, with red flags up in Brigantine, Point Pleasant, Longport and Strathmere.
At Island Beach State Park, swimming, surfing, boogie boarding, mobile sport fishing vehicle permit access, and nature center programs were suspended through at least Thursday, Aug. 21, the state park posted on Facebook. Visitors were still allowed to walk on the beach for fishing and other activities.
Delaware beaches closed
Hurricane Erin's powerful rip currents and surf have also closed Delaware beaches in the towns of Fenwick Island and Dewey Beach. Beaches also closed in Rehoboth Beach, where former President Joe Biden and his family have vacationed for years.
Hurricane Erin tropical storm warnings
The National Hurricane Center issued tropical storm warnings as far north as Chincoteague, Virginia, including the Pamlico and Albemarle sounds, roughly 60 miles south of the Delaware border.
Hurricane Erin spaghetti models
Hurricane Erin tracker
Delaware, NJ coastal flood warnings
The National Weather Service issued a coastal flood warning for Cape May County in New Jersey as well as Kent and Sussex counties in Delaware from 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 20, through 2 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 23. Residents should prepare for widespread roadside flooding in coastal and bayside communities and along inland tidal waterways, making roadways impassable.
Expected peak storm surge from Hurricane Erin in Delaware, NJ
Hurricane Erin is expected to bring storm surges up to three feet along the Delaware and Jersey shore coast.
Weather watches, warnings in Delaware, Jersey shore
Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: See Hurricane Erin live tracker as Del, Jersey shore beaches close
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