Hurricane Erin live updates: Storm surge warning issued in North Carolina – UK Times

Coastal flood warnings were put in place Thursday for the Jersey Shore and New York City’s south-facing beaches.

Most beaches were previously closed to swimming for the next few dats, with officials urging people to stay out of the water.

Authorities noted that the risk of flooding increases Thursday into Friday, when high waves coincide with high tide.

Take a look at Thursday’s windspeed projections for Hurricane Erin, which predict that in parts near to the coast, gust may exceed 90 mph and approach triple digits.

The National Hurricane Center has warned that there is a high risk of rip currents along the majority of the East Coast on Thursday.

According to NOAA, rip currents are powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water that are prevalent along the East, Gulf, and West coasts of the U.S., as well as along the shores of the Great Lakes.

Rip currents can move at speeds of up to eight feet per second, which is faster than an Olympic swimmer.

Swimmers who panic, often try to counter a rip current by swimming straight back to shore, though this can put them at risk of drowning due to fatigue.

Per NOAA, lifeguards rescue tens of thousands of people from rip currents in the U.S. every year, but it is estimated that 100 people are killed by rip currents annually.

Rip currents are often confused with rip tides.

A rip tide is a specific type of current associated with the swift movement of tidal water through inlets and the mouths of estuaries, embayments, and harbors.

A Thursday map projection from the National Hurricane Center shows a high risk of rip currents along the majority of the U.S. east coast.

Photos show devastation to North Carolina Highway 12 caused by Erin, resulting in the highway’s closure Wednesday evening.

North Carolina authorities have urged residents to stay off the roads on Thursday ahead of further high tides and hazardous conditions this evening.

“The good news is, is our NCDOT pros are out there doing their best to clear it and open it up… But while it’s closed, people need to stay off the road,” ,” State Emergency Management Director Drew Pearson told CNN News Central.

“We’re doing our best to take care of the people on Hatteras Island overnight. We didn’t have any calls for assistance, which is a good thing.

“People have sheltered in place and are taking care of themselves, but people need to stay off the roads and give our NCDOT pros the time to take care of the road, and hopefully we’ll get it open as quickly as possible.”

He added: “But we’re not out of it yet. We got another high tide coming this evening.”

Here’s a reminder of the various warnings in place up the U.S. East Coast, per the National Hurricane Center.

• A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for Cape Lookout to Duck, North Carolina.

• A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina to Chincoteague, Virginia, including Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds.

• A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Bermuda.

• A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area.

• A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area.