A tropical storm warning is in effect for the coastal regions of Virginia, the Outer Banks, Pamlico Sound, and the Eastern Shore. A coastal flood warning is in place from Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon for coastal areas in Hampton Roads, on the Eastern Shore, and on the Outer Banks.

Hurricane Erin battered North Carolina’s Outer Banks with strong winds and waves that flooded part of the main highway and damaged buildings as the monster-sized storm slowly began to move away from the East Coast on Thursday.

Even before storm surge warnings were issued in North Carolina’s Outer Banks, ocean overwash started inundating shoresides homes and hotels. Transportation crews hustled to shore up dunes in the hopes of at least delaying the wash out of the critical road in and out of the area – Highway 12.

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

Storm surge flooding and tropical storm conditions from Hurricane Erin are forecast for the Outer Banks of North Carolina starting Wednesday evening. At 5 p.