While the U.s. will be spared a landfall from monster Hurricane Erin, the impacts will be felt up and down the East Coast throughout the week with life-threatening coastal conditions, rip currents and big waves.
Erin is a Category 4 hurricane with 140-mph winds forecast to stay offshore in the Atlantic, threading the needle between Bermuda and the U.S. coast. As Erin begins to pull up alongside the Bahamas and then Florida, this giant tropical system will bring coastal flooding and extremely dangerous conditions for boaters and people living in coastal communities from Florida to Atlantic Canada.
Hurricane Erin’s extremely large size will also bring dangerous winds and plenty of rain to the U.S. East Coast. According to the National Hurricane Center, hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles, while tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 230 miles.
Flooding, rip currents, small craft and wave advisories are already in place for many areas from Florida to New England.
Things are already cooking for Florida and the Southeast on Monday as rough sea conditions are beginning, according to FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross.
"The biggest impact from Erin's passage paralleling the East Coast will be from the large, eroding waves and strong currents caused by the huge expanse of strong winds blowing over the ocean," Norcross said. "The peak impacts along the beaches and in the waterways from Palm Beach County, Florida, to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, look likely to occur (Tuesday) into Thursday, although the disturbed ocean will begin to be noticeable (Monday)."
Peak wave heights and damaging winds in the Carolinas are forecast to occur from Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Some communities along the Outer Banks are already under evacuation with the impending threat of coastal flooding, winds and waves.
The Outer Banks could see winds of up to 60 mph and waves up to 20 feet, including Nags Head, Kitty Hawk and Hatteras Island. It doesn't take much for these areas to flood, and with Erin's wide wind field and waves, coastal erosion is also likely.
A High Surf Advisory is in place for the Outer Banks through Friday.
Then Erin’s energy will move north with impacts in the mid-Atlantic, Northeast and New England coasts.
Large breaking waves, rip currents and damaging winds are possible for these areas through Friday. Waves are forecast to reach between 8 and 12 feet, with peak winds of around 40 mph possible from Virginia Beach, Virginia, to Nantucket, Massachusetts.
A Coastal Flood Advisory is in place for much of the Delaware and New Jersey coastlines through Tuesday night.
"As the hurricane moves north, the focus of the energy will move north to the coastline from Cape Hatteras to New England, including the Tidewater of Virginia, the Delmarva, the Jersey Shore, Long Island, New York, and the New England coast," Norcross said.
By Friday, Erin should be moving between Bermuda and Atlantic Canada, where coastal impacts are possible into the weekend.
Original article source: Hurricane Erin to slam Florida to Atlantic Canada with massive waves, dangerous rip currents
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