Category 2 Hurricane Erin Pounds North Carolina Coast with Evacuations

Hurricane Erin remains a Category 2 storm as it moves northeastward away from the U.S. East Coast, currently centered east-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Though the hurricane is not expected to make landfall, its large wind field and outer rain bands are causing strong winds, storm surge, flooding, rip currents, and high surf along the North Carolina coast and will affect areas up through the maritime Canadian provinces. Storm surge and tropical storm warnings are in effect for much of the North Carolina Outer Banks, with mandatory evacuations issued for Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands. The famed N.C. 12 highway is at risk of flooding and washouts due to the storm. Mariners and beachgoers have been warned to avoid the dangerous surf and rip currents, which have already resulted in dozens of swimmer rescues near Wilmington. Erin is forecast to continue moving northeast between the U.S. East Coast and Bermuda before turning out to sea later this week.