North Carolina’s Outer Banks began mandatory evacuations on Tuesday as Hurricane Erin regained strength, intensifying into a powerful Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph. Forecasters warn the system could bring life-threatening rip currents and dangerous surf along the entire U.S. East Coast this week.
Storm Path and Forecast
The National Hurricane Center reported Erin’s position Monday afternoon at about 140 miles north of Grand Turk Island and 850 miles south-southeast of Hatteras Island, North Carolina. Although the storm is expected to remain offshore as it tracks northward between the United States and Bermuda, its size and strength pose serious coastal risks.
The Outer Banks — a chain of low-lying barrier islands — faces the greatest immediate threat. Officials warned that coastal flooding and tropical storm conditions could hit by midweek. Outside the U.S., a tropical storm warning was issued for the Turks and Caicos Islands and parts of the Bahamas, where forecasters cautioned about flash and urban flooding.
Widespread Surf Hazards
Michael Brennan, director of the hurricane center, stressed that even if weather appears calm onshore, rip currents will be treacherous.
“It’s not going to be a safe environment to be in the ocean,” Brennan said, noting that dangerous conditions are expected along the entire Eastern Seaboard by Tuesday.
Local Impact on the Outer Banks
On Hatteras Island, the evacuation order disrupted peak tourist season. Fatty’s Treats & Tours, a popular restaurant, saw its normally busy summer day reduced to a single table of diners. “A very busy day has been turned into absolutely nothing,” owner Jeff Dawson said.
Despite county evacuation orders beginning Tuesday morning, some residents plan to stay behind. Dawson, who has lived in Buxton since 1982, said he intends to hunker down at home. He acknowledged concerns about falling trees but expressed confidence from past storm experience. In the coming days, he expects to help neighbors secure their homes and later assist with cleanup.
A Growing Threat
Hurricane Erin is the first major storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, and forecasters expect it to expand in size as it tracks into the northern Atlantic. Officials continue to urge residents and tourists along the East Coast to remain cautious, avoid swimming in the ocean, and heed local safety advisories.
