Swimmers are warned to avoid East Coast beaches as Hurricane Erin moves north

Federal forecasters are warning people to avoid beaches along the East Coast as Hurricane Erin moves north and slams much of the shoreline with dangerous waves and other severe weather.

Though the massive storm was roughly 365 miles from Cape Hatteras, N.C., as of 11 a.m. ET, the effects of Erin will be felt onshore starting Wednesday, with strong winds and the potential for flooding in the forecast for North Carolina and Virginia and life-threatening rip currents expected in several states.

“Beachgoers are urged to follow information from lifeguards, local authorities, and beach warning flags,” the National Hurricane Center said in a post on X. “The best advice? Stay out of the water!”

Mandatory evacuations are in place for parts of North Carolina’s Outer Banks, which was set to face inclement conditions starting later on Wednesday. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has declared a state of emergency.

A storm surge warning was in effect from Cape Lookout to Duck. Areas of North Carolina and Virginia were also under tropical storm warnings and watches. Bermuda was facing a tropical storm watch, too.

Forecasters noted that the significant size of Erin, which is hurling tropical storm-force winds as far as 265 miles from its center, means its effects could be felt far away.

Among those effects are swells and rip currents predicted for beaches along the East Coast as well as in Atlantic Canada, the Bahamas and Bermuda. “These rough ocean conditions are expected to cause life-threatening surf and rip currents,” the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

Rip currents are “powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water” that can endanger swimmers who try to rush back to shore, according to the National Ocean Service. The agency recommends that swimmers caught in a rip current try to move parallel to the coastline and swim at an angle back to shore.

An NHC map showed a high risk of rip currents on Wednesday for a large stretch of the East Coast, from Florida to Massachusetts.

Forecasters said Erin could strengthen over the next day and should weaken by Friday, though it will likely still be a hurricane into the weekend.