The International Space Station captured Hurricane Erin moving toward the east coast.

As Hurricane Erin begins to move away from the East Coast, it continues to unleash powerful waves and rip currents, threatening beachfront homes and flooding roads.

Authorities continue to caution people to stay out of the water.

Erin, located about 285 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, is moving northeast at 18 mph and carrying sustained winds of 100 mph, making it a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, according to a 2 p.m. ET update by the National Hurricane Center.

Video footage captured from space shows Erin moving toward the East Coast with its center visible. The hurricane is expected to make a turn to the northeast and pick up speed as it pulls away from the coast later in the day, forecasters said.

See how Hurricane Erin looks from space

Erin should gradually weaken to a post-tropical cyclone by Aug. 23, but not before making an impact on most of the Atlantic coast up to southeastern Canada, forecasters said.

Advisories in New York City, New Jersey and North Carolina

But before Erin weakens to a post-tropical cyclone, coastal flooding is expected to peak during high tide on Aug. 21, and tropical storm and storm-surge warnings were in place along the North Carolina coastline.

In New Jersey, swimming and other water activities were prohibited on beaches, with high surf and rip current warnings in effect through Aug. 22, the weather service said.

Coastal flooding from Hurricane Erin is expected across much of New York City’s waterfront, possibly impacting homes, streets and businesses from Aug. 21 to Aug. 22, city officials warned.

Advisories were in place across the five boroughs, with flooding of as much as 2 1/2 feet expected on the evening of Aug. 21 in parts of southern Queens with high tide, the city Emergency Management said on X. Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island are projected to see 1 to 2 feet of inundation beginning the evening of Aug. 21 and into Aug. 22, city alerts warned.

How to prepare for hurricanes

Delaying potentially lifesaving preparations could mean waiting until it’s too late.

"Get your disaster supplies while the shelves are still stocked, and get that insurance checkup early, as flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period," the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recommends.

  • Develop an evacuation plan. If you are at risk from hurricanes, you need an evacuation plan. Now is the time to begin planning where you would go and how you would get there.
  • Assemble disaster supplies. Whether you’re evacuating or sheltering in place, you’re going to need supplies not just to get through the storm but for a possibly lengthy aftermath, NOAA said.
  • Get an insurance checkup and document your possessions. Contact your insurance company or agent now and ask for an insurance checkup to make sure you have enough insurance to repair or even replace your home and belongings. Remember, home and renters insurance doesn’t cover flooding, so you’ll need a separate policy for it. Flood insurance is available through your company, agent or the National Flood Insurance Program. Act now, because flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period.
  • Create a family communication plan. NOAA says you should take the time now to write down a hurricane plan and share it with your family. Determine family meeting places and make sure to include an out-of-town location in case of evacuation.
  • Strengthen your home. Now is the time to improve your home’s ability to withstand hurricanes. Trim trees; install storm shutters, accordion shutters, and impact glass; and seal outside wall openings.

Contributing: Dinah Voyles Pulver, Thao Nguyen, Jeanine Santucci and Gabe Hauari

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: See how Hurricane Erin looks from space as storm moves east

Reporting by Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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