Hurricane Erin is poised to bring deadly rip currents to the entire US East Coast, as well as destructive waves and storm surge to North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Meanwhile, Atlantic hurricane season is hitting its stride,

Millions of people up and down the East Coast have been told to prepare for impacts from Hurricane Erin as the monster Category 2 hurricane continues on its journey across the Atlantic, bringing it close to the U.

Additional strengthening is expected as the storm is forecast to “remain a large and dangerous major hurricane through the middle of this week,” the National Hurricane Center said.

Hurricane Erin formed early Friday, Aug. 15, marking the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season before exploding over the weekend.

Outer bands from Hurricane Erin could lash the North Carolina coastline with tropical-storm-force winds and heavy rain as it passes by the Outer Banks, where a Tropical Storm Watch and a Storm Surge Watch were issued.

Erin is a large hurricane and is expected to grow "substantially in size" as it moves over the western Atlantic this week, according to the Hurricane Center. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 205 miles.

"We cannot put this more bluntly: we now EXPECT there will be times over the next week that N.C .12 becomes impassable due to significant ocean overwash," OBX transportation officials said.

Hurricane Erin is expected to grow in size and strength as it moves north through the Atlantic this week. Forecasters expect it to pass well offshore of North Carolina on Wednesday and Thursday, but say it likely will cause coastal flooding and erosion, along with dangerous rip currents.