Erin remains major hurricane as dangerous rip currents and high surf hit East Coast

Erin is a category 3 major hurricane with winds of 115 mph and is located approximately 750 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras as of Tuesday morning. A tropical storm watch is in effect for the Outer Banks of North Carolina where wind gusts greater than 40 mph are possible and heavy rain could hit Wednesday night into Thursday with 1 to 2 inches of rain possible in some areas. Dangerous rip currents and large breaking waves could occur along the East Coast through Friday, specifically in the Outer Banks, as destructive large breaking waves of 10 to 20 feet are expected in the surf zone. The National Weather Service says extreme beach and coastal damage is likely, with large waves inundating and destroying protective dunes as flooding will extend inland and numerous roads will likely be