Hurricane Erin's higher tides and big waves are battering much of the East Coast, with the huge storm prompting the expansion of tropical storm and coastal flooding advisories on Wednesday.

Beachfront property owners are bracing for the worst amid predictions of a storm surge of up to 4 feet and significant coastal erosion. Powerful waves of 15 to 20 feet are expected to slam beaches, especially in North Carolina, for 48 hours or more as the hurricane crawls northward offshore through at least Thursday.

"Outer bands of large Hurricane Erin brushing the North Carolina Outer Banks," the National Hurricane Center said in its 8 p.m. ET update, pointing out that swimming at most East Coast beaches is strongly discouraged "due to life-threatening surf and rip currents."

The National Hurrica

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