Hurricane Erin is seriously ruffling North Carolina’s vulnerable Outer Banks with an offshore show of strength that’s sent tourists and residents alike scurrying for safety.
Erin is the first Atlantic Ocean hurricane of the season, and experts warn its forceful winds currently reach out some 80 miles from its center.
Wary North Carolina authorities ordered evacuations of several popular barrier islands ahead of anticipated heavy rains that swamp roads, winds that uproot trees and ocean ripe tides that snatch swimmers.
“Erin is expected to produce life-threatening surf and rip currents [along] much of the east coast of the U.S.,” the National Hurricane Center reported Tuesday morning, adding that “the storm surge will be accompanied by large waves, leading to significant beach erosion and overwash, making some roads impassible.”
