Morehead City, North Carolina – North Carolina’s Outer Banks are under growing threat as Category 4 Hurricane Erin churns offshore, sending life-threatening surf and coastal flooding toward the coast starting Tuesday. While the eye is expected to remain well east of the Carolinas, the massive storm is already generating 20-foot swells and long-period waves capable of washing over roads and damaging infrastructure.
According to the National Weather Service in Newport/Morehead City, Highway 12 could become impassable at times from Tuesday through Thursday, especially during high tide. Erin rapidly intensified overnight, reaching maximum sustained winds of 155 mph—an 80 mph increase in just 24 hours. Though a direct U.S. landfall remains unlikely, forecasters warn that hazardous surf and flooding will impact beaches from Cape Hatteras to Ocracoke and beyond.
The highest risks are along southeast- and east-facing beaches, which will be exposed to the strongest swells. Coastal erosion and dangerous rip currents are expected across all area beaches, with ocean overwash likely in low-lying areas. Residents and visitors should stay off the beaches and avoid travel on vulnerable roadways, especially Highway 12, during peak impact midweek.
Conditions will begin to ease late Thursday, but further updates from the National Weather Service are expected as Erin tracks northward.
