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.
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)
