What Hurricane Erin will mean for Virginia, Maryland and Delaware beaches
The National Weather Service is warning that both Erin and a zone of high pressure north of the storm will funnel wind and water into the coast, generating multiple hazards that include life-threatening rip currents, waves over eight feet, periods of tidal flooding and beach erosion.
High winds — with gusts exceeding 35 mph — are also possible. Tropical storm watches are in effect for coastal waters from Virginia Beach to Fenwick Island, Delaware, including Ocean City, Maryland. The winds will probably be strongest late Wednesday into Thursday.
Erin is a large and growing hurricane. Even though its core will pass far offshore, tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 205 miles from its center, and by Thursday will expand farther.
But water will pose a bigger threat than the wind. The Weather Service is forecasting peak waves of 6 to 10 feet along the Delaware beaches and 8 to 12 feet for the Maryland and Virginia beaches, with wave heights peaking late Wednesday into Thursday.
'Very dangerous swimming and surfing conditions are expected, as well as the wave action resulting in significant beach erosion,' the Weather Service wrote in a beach hazard statement. 'Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water. Dangerous shore break can throw a swimmer or surfer head first into the bottom causing neck and back injuries.'
Offshore, waves are forecast to reach 10 to 15 feet.
As the water piles up along the coasts, areas of at least minor to moderate coastal flooding are likely to develop — especially near high tide Wednesday and Thursday. Toward Virginia Beach, where Erin will pass slightly closer, major flooding could occur for a time.
It may take until early next week for seas to return to normal and become safe for swimming and boating.
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