Hurricane Erin churns northward: Storm alerts expand in North Carolina, Virginia; beaches shut along US East coast

Hurricane Erin continued its slow march northward on Tuesday, unleashing rough surf and dangerous rip currents along the US East Coast that forced dozens of water rescues, swimming bans, and widespread beach closures.

Erin, the first Atlantic hurricane of 2025, was downgraded to a Category 2 storm but remained a powerful system with sustained winds of 100 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). At 11 pm ET, the storm was moving north-northwest at nearly 12 mph, hundreds of miles offshore.



The hurricane had earlier exploded to Category 5 strength on Saturday, weakened to Category 3 by Sunday morning, and then regained intensity later in the day. Satellite data and a US Air Force Hurricane Hunter mission indicated the storm was becoming better organised, with slow strengthening expected through Thursday night.


Though no landfall was forecast, the NHC warned that Erin’s large and expanding wind fields would generate storm-driven waves, coastal erosion and high seas along the Atlantic seaboard. The Outer Banks of North Carolina, a popular vacation destination, was expected to face the worst impact, with significant beach erosion and flooding that could leave roads impassable.

Rip currents — narrow, fast-moving channels of water that can drag swimmers away from shore, are responsible for more than 80% of beach rescues in the US. With Erin’s impact stretching from South Florida to New England, authorities imposed restrictions to protect beachgoers as life-threatening surf conditions spread northward.

The National Weather Service cautioned of storm surge and waves exceeding 10 feet in the region, urging people to stay out of the ocean through at least Thursday. “The storm surge will be accompanied by large waves, leading to significant beach erosion and overwash, making some roads impassable,” the NHC said in its late-night advisory.

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein declared a state of emergency on Tuesday afternoon to mobilise resources and assist with evacuations in vulnerable parts of the Outer Banks. Evacuations were already underway in some low-lying areas popular with summer tourists.

Officials in the Northeast also announced precautionary measures. New York Mayor Eric Adams said all city beaches would be closed for swimming on Wednesday and Thursday “due to dangerous riptides from Hurricane Erin.” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy urged residents and visitors to avoid wading or swimming in the ocean, citing hazardous rip currents and high waves.

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