Hurricane Erin churns toward East Coast with dangerous surf, 130 mph winds

Hurricane Erin is intensifying and strengthening as it approaches the U.S. Already a dangerous Category 4 hurricane, it is currently pounding parts of the Caribbean.

Erin’s outer bands were lashing the southeast Bahamas and Turks and Caicos on Monday morning, with 130 mph winds. The National Hurricane Center said both areas can expect tropical storm conditions and flooding through Tuesday.

Strong surf and rip currents are also likely.

The storm stretches more than 200 miles wide, meaning East Coast communities will feel it,  even without a direct landfall.

According to CNN, Erin’s expansive wind field is already sending large swells outward for hundreds of miles.

Erin’s threat to the East Coast

Dare County, North Carolina, has declared a state of emergency, ordering evacuations on Hatteras Island. 

The island only has one road in and out, Highway 12, and county officials fear the days of surf and wind could wash out the road.

As of Monday morning, Erin was about 915 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras.

Current forecasting from the National Hurricane Center has Erin passing by North Carolina on Wednesday.

Hurricane Erin so far

Erin already cut power to nearly 150,000 customers in Puerto Rico and forced the dozens of flights to be canceled over the weekend.

The storm peaked at a Category 5 storm on Saturday, and is the Atlantic’s first major hurricane of the season, which runs through Nov. 1.

After a brief stint as a Category 5, Erin was downgraded to a Category 3 before re-intensifying to Category 4, where it sits as of Monday morning.

Forecasters say the storm could remain a major hurricane through midweek, generating dangerous surf and rip currents along the East Coast.