2 more beachfront homes near collapse as Hurricane Erin's waves pound North Carolina's Outer Banks
While the swells from storms like Hurricane Erin make things worse, the conditions threatening the houses are always present — beach erosion and climate change are sending the ocean closer and closer to their front doors.
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NBC News
25 minutes ago
- NBC News
Hurricane Erin eyes the East Coast with dangerous surf and potential flooding
NBC News' Aaron Gilchrist reports from the Outer Banks tonight as residents brace for Hurricane Erin's impact. This comes as dangerous surf forces closures along the East 20, 2025
Hindustan Times
25 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Hurricane Erin update: Where is the hurricane? When will it make landfall in North Carolina?
Hurricane Erin is now a 110 mph Category 2 hurricane and is set to make landfall on the East Coast, with a state of emergency and evacuations ordered in Outer Banks, North Carolina, on Wednesday. The island is expected to get rocked with storm surge and hit by waves of 20 feet or more. New York City and nearby areas are also under threat. This satellite image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Hurricane Erin(AFP) Where is Hurricane Erin now? According to the latest updates, Hurricane Erin's outer bands are starting to swirl toward the North Carolina coast. Governor Josh Stein about 200 National Guard troops and rescue teams have been stationed for the hurricane's impact. When will Hurricane Erin make landfall? The US mainland will not see a direct landfall from the storm. However, the hurricane is expected to impact the Outer Banks and other areas on Thursday. Officials on Thursday warned the storm could bring coastal flooding, especially along the Outer Banks, where tides are expected to cut off villages and vacation homes. New York City shut down swimming at its beaches through Thursday, while restrictions were also in place across New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. Nantucket Island may face 10-foot waves later this week, but forecasters say the most serious threat remains in North Carolina. Despite the risks, longtime residents in the Outer Banks remain calm. 'I remember taking canoes out of my front yard to get to school, so I don't think it's gonna be that bad,' said Jacob Throne, a Hatteras Island resident who works in local surf shops. Surfers, meanwhile, seized the moment. Virginia Beach drew crowds for the East Coast Surfing Championships, where Erin's swells offered a rare thrill. 'We're notorious for not having waves,' said competitor Henry Thompson. 'Usually we get a surf competition and it gets canceled due to no waves or they just run it in really bad waves.' The competition will pause Thursday as the storm brushes Virginia, but Thompson said he expects more hurricanes to bring better surf in the months ahead. Elsewhere, warnings are being ignored. More than 80 people were pulled from rip currents Monday at North Carolina's Wrightsville Beach, and another dozen were rescued Tuesday. 'You can be aware all you want,' said Bob Oravec, a forecaster with the National Weather Service. 'It can still be dangerous.' State officials warned that waves as high as 20 feet could hit beachfront communities, threatening already-eroded dunes and beach houses. 'Dangerous conditions can be felt far from the eye, especially with a system as large as Erin,' said Will Ray, North Carolina's emergency management director. David Hallac, superintendent of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, added that homes in storm-battered areas are especially vulnerable to surges. Still, many Outer Banks residents are staying put despite evacuation orders. 'We probably wouldn't stay if it was coming directly at us,' said Rob Temple, who runs sailboat cruises on Ocracoke Island. His concern is not the wind but whether the main supply route will be washed out, cutting off deliveries and tourists. Meanwhile, the National Hurricane Center is monitoring two additional tropical disturbances east of Erin. Scientists warn that warmer oceans are fueling the rapid growth of such storms, known as Cape Verde systems, which can become among the most dangerous in the Atlantic. (With AP inputs)
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
North Carolina braces for massive flooding as Hurricane Erin approaches
WASHINGTON: Hurricane Erin was nearing North Carolina's coast Wednesday, threatening huge waves and flooding as the strengthening Category 2 storm triggered mandatory evacuation orders despite its offshore path. The US state, still reeling from last year's deadly Hurricane Helene, declared an emergency Tuesday as Erin's impacts were predicted to begin from Wednesday evening through Thursday. "Based on the current forecast, we are anticipating coastal flooding from massive waves, tropical storm force winds and tidal and storm surge for much of the state shoreline, especially the Outer Banks, from this evening through Thursday," Governor Josh Stein told reporters. As of Wednesday afternoon, Erin was churning northward some 300 miles southeast of North Carolina, packing maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 kph), according to the National Hurricane Centre – with the possibility it could still restrengthen to a major hurricane. Its unusually large size means tropical storm-force winds extend hundreds of miles from its centre, earning it the moniker "Enormous Erin" by hurricane specialist Michael Lowry, who wrote on Substack the US was fortunate to be spared a direct hit. Erin's low pressure of around 940 millibars at its center is "remarkably low" and a more telling indicator of its destructive potential than wind speed, Lowry added. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands. Parts of North Carolina to Virginia were under a tropical storm warning. Stein urged residents to pack enough food, water and supplies to last up to five days – and to safeguard important documents like insurance policies. "We have already pre-positioned three swift water rescue teams and 200 National Guard troops to various locations on the coast, along with boats, high clearance vehicles and aircraft," he added. Highway 12 – which runs through the scenic Outer Banks, a string of low-lying islands and spits already under threat from sea-level rise and erosion – could be left impassable by waves as high as 20 feet (six metres). Last year's Hurricane Helene caused approximately US$60 billion in damage to North Carolina, equivalent to almost two years of the state's budget, said Stein, who criticised what he called inadequate federal assistance from the administration of President Donald Trump. Trump has mused about dismantling the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has long been a target of conspiracy theories from the political right. Beyond the flooding risks in North Carolina, nearly the whole of the US East Coast meanwhile is threatened by rip currents, powerful surges that run against the tide. 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 climate change is supercharging tropical cyclones: warmer oceans fuel stronger winds, a warmer atmosphere intensifies rainfall, and higher sea levels magnify storm surge.
