Hurricane Erin is causing dangerous rip currents and high surf at beaches along the East Coast, and some areas could see coastal flooding over the coming days. The flood risk increases Thursday, when high waves coincide with high tide along the Jersey Shore and New York's south-facing beaches.

Hurricane Erin continues to churn in the Atlantic waters hundreds of miles off the U.S., prompting officials to close beaches along the East Coast from the mid-Atlantic to the Northeast.

People trying to enjoy the last hurrahs of summer along the coast are being met on Wednesday with rip-current warnings, closed beaches and treacherous waves as Erin inches closer, once again on the cusp of becoming a major hurricane as it treks north after lashing Bermuda.

Hurricane Erin, which formed on August 11 and quickly intensified, is expected to largely impact the Outer Banks region of North Carolina and portions of coastal Virginia — though forecasters warn the storm’s impacts will also be felt in the northeast.

Hurricane Erin, now a Category 2 storm, has triggered a state of emergency in North Carolina, where residents and visitors along the Outer Banks are under evacuation orders. The Outer Banks is also under a tropical storm warning; Erin is forecast to hit the islands with heavy rain and rough winds on Wednesday night.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Erin held strong as a Category 2 hurricane, packing maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (180 kph). It was located about 365 miles (590 kilometers) south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, and its enormous wind field continues to grow.