Hurricane Erin is moving closer to the U.S. coast at the start of the workweek. Strong wind and big waves will cause problems for our North Carolina beaches as summer vacations continue.

Hurricane Erin, now a Category 2 storm, has triggered a state of emergency in North Carolina, where residents and visitors along the Outer Banks are under evacuation orders. The Outer Banks is also under a tropical storm warning; Erin is forecast to hit the islands with heavy rain and rough winds on Wednesday night.

North Carolina expects coastal flooding from massive waves, tropical-storm-force winds and tidal and storm surges for much of the state shoreline, especially the Outer Banks, as well as life-threatening rip currents for most of the week, Stein said, adding, "No one should be in the ocean."

Meteorologists are closely tracking the projected path and forecast of Hurricane Erin, which is the first hurricane to develop over the Atlantic this year.

The storm is bringing dangerous conditions to parts of the coast on Wednesday, but will then turn away from the United States.

Videos show massive waves lashing abandoned homes on North Carolina's Outer Banks as the storm passes the U.S.

Erin has rapidly intensified into a major hurricane. The storm officially became the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season on Frida. As of 6 a.m. on Saturday, Erin has become a Category 4 hurricane.

Most of the tourists have left Ocracoke Island, and the surfers are watching closely as deadly rip currents lurk below the waves.