Updated August 18, 2025 at 6:45 PM CDT
Storm surge and tropical storm watches are in effect for areas along the North Carolina's Outer Banks as Hurricane Erin spins toward the Bahamas and the U.S.
As of Monday evening, Erin remains a powerful Category 4 hurricane, with sustained winds near 140 mph, according to a National Hurricane Center advisory. The storm is "to pass to the east of the southeastern and central Bahamas today and tonight, and move between Bermuda and the east coast of the United States by the middle of the week," the advisory said.
Though Erin is not forecast to make landfall in the U.S., NHC Deputy Director Jamie Rhome said in an update that the storm will significantly impact the mid-Atlantic region, especially the Outer Banks. A storm surge watch has been issued in North Carolina from Cape Lookout to Duck, as well as a tropical storm watch from Beaufort Inlet to Duck, including Pamlico Sound.
"Breaking waves of 15 to 20 feet plus coastal flood and storm surge could overwash dunes and flood homes, flood roads and make some communities impassable," he said.
Forecasters at the National Weather Service office in Morehead City, N.C., similarly warned on Monday evening that the Outer Banks should be prepared for days of potential flooding.
"Coastal flooding will likely be a long duration issue, impacting Highway 12," the National Weather Service office stated, warning that parts of the main highway running along the Outer Banks could be impassible for several days.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation said on Monday morning a mandatory evacuation order was in effect for all visitors to Ocracoke and Hatteras islands, adding that the order will take effect for residents early Tuesday.
On Sunday, Officials in Hyde County, N.C., issued a state of emergency for Ocracoke Island, warning that emergency services may not be available if Highway 12 becomes impassable. To the north, Dare County declared a state of emergency for the entire county.
Erin is raising the risk of tall waves and dangerous rip currents along the U.S. eastern coastline from Florida to Massachusetts as it moves northward, forecasters said on Monday.
Erin has weakened a bit since it rapidly strengthened into a Category 5 storm with winds of nearly 160 mph over the weekend. Its intensity has continued to vacillate, but forecasters expect Erin to remain a powerful storm as it approaches the U.S., extending its potential to cause flooding and other impacts.
Climate change is causing hurricanes to get more powerful on average. In general, air that's becoming warmer and moister provides more fuel for extreme weather, from hurricanes to intense inland storms. Experts say that warm ocean temperatures can also help storms carry a great deal of water, raising the risk of flooding — the main cause of death from hurricanes.
Erin is the first Atlantic storm of the season to reach hurricane status, after several tropical storms got the 2025 season off to a relatively slow start. There are signs that the season may now be ramping up: The National Hurricane Center says it's monitoring a tropical wave over the eastern Atlantic that could develop into a storm over the next week.
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