Erin to bring pounding surf and rip currents to U.S. eastern seaboard

This morning, Hurricane Erin is a category two hurricane and is located about 730 km south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

The storm is not expected to have impacts on the U.S. eastern seaboard or Atlantic Canada, but will bring dangerous sea conditions.

By this evening, conditions are expected to deteriorate along the coast of North Carolina.

Swells generated by Erin will affect the Bahamas, Bermuda, the east coast of the United States, and Atlantic Canada during the next several days. These rough ocean conditions are expected to cause life-threatening surf and rip currents.

Those in these areas should avoid swimming or being near the water due to these conditions.

The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast where the surge will be accompanied by large and dangerous waves.

What are rip currents?

A rip current is a localized, narrow, strong current of water that moves away from the shore by cutting through the lines of breaking waves.