Even though Erin is expected to stay hundreds of miles offshore, its impacts are forecast to worsen as it crawls northward and makes its closest approach to the U.S. mainland. Erin was generating waves of 35 feet or more at an ocean buoy east-northeast of the Bahamas on Aug. 19, creating swells and stirring up a broad swath of the ocean.

Hurricane Erin continues to move parallel to the East Coast and it is expected to bring a prolonged period of destructive surf and dangerous rip currents.

Erin has weakened to a Category 2 hurricane. Erin is expected to stay at category. Erin has tropical storm force winds stretching out over 200 miles from the center. The entire wind field of Erin stretches over 500 miles.

Residents are being evacuated today as officials warn that the main road on and off North Carolina's Outer Banks islands may soon be underwater.

Much of North Carolina’s Outer Banks region is under a tropical storm watch with Hurricane Erin expected to skirt the area Wednesday through Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Crews in Virginia Beach were out Tuesday securing items and clearing drains, and Dominion Energy trucks were already stationed ahead of potential power outages and downed trees. Storm-driven waves

Hurricane Erin pelted parts of the Caribbean and was forecast to create dangerous surf and rip currents along the U.S. East Coast this week.