Hurricane Erin Expected To Grow As It Moves Across Atlantic

Hurricane Erin is expected to turn arsenic it moves complete nan Atlantic done nan week, causing vulnerable rip currents, dense rain, and beardown winds on nan East Coast.

The large wind dropped down to a Category 2 connected Tuesday morning, but it still packs a powerful punch. Hurricane-force winds are forecast to widen outward up to 80 miles from nan center, nan National Hurricane Center said successful an 8 a.m. Tuesday advisory. Tropical-storm unit winds are expected to widen outward up to 205 miles.

Dangerous rip currents are expected on East Coast beaches. In Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, a no-swimming advisory is successful effect until Friday owed to beardown rip currents and ample swells, officials said.

Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue had astir 70 rip existent rescues connected Monday, NBC connection WECT of Wilmington reported.

"These swells are producing powerful rip currents that tin create highly hazardous swimming conditions," Ocean Rescue Director Sam Proffitt said successful a statement. "The information of our beachgoers is ever our apical priority, and we impulse everyone to travel this advisory."

Other coastal towns, including Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and Wildwood, New Jersey, issued akin advisories.

Heavy rainfall is besides forecast for Wednesday nighttime into Thursday connected nan Outer Banks of North Carolina, wherever evacuations person already been ordered.

As of Tuesday morning, nan hurricane was astir 720 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, pinch maximum sustained winds of 110 mph. Fluctuations successful spot are imaginable complete nan adjacent fewer days, nan hurricane halfway said. Erin is presently moving astatine 7 mph.

The halfway of nan hurricane is expected to walk to nan eastbound of nan Bahamas connected Tuesday and past move complete nan occidental Atlantic betwixt nan East Coast and Bermuda connected Wednesday and Thursday.