Much of the North Carolina coast, including the Outer Banks, is under tropical storm and storm surge warnings as Hurricane Erin churns as a Category 2 storm.

The NWS Wakefield VA issued a tropical storm warning at 5:08 a.m. on Wednesday in effect until 1:15 p.m. for Western Currituck.

Tropical Storm Warnings are posted for the Chesapeake Bay south of Smith Island, the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and all of coastal Delmarva. These are the areas where we are most likely to see sustained winds of 39 mph or more. Gusts over 50 mph are likely. Coastal flooding and significant beach erosion are expected.

Much of North Carolina’s Outer Banks region is under a tropical storm watch with Hurricane Erin expected to skirt the area Wednesday through Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

An updated tropical storm warning was released by the NWS Newport/Morehead City NC on Wednesday at 4:57 a.m. in effect until 1 p.m. for Mainland Dare.

Although the storm is expected to stay offshore, it will produce dangerous surf conditions for much of the Atlantic Coast this week, forecasters say.

Hurricane Erin will eventually track eastward in the North Atlantic towards the United Kingdom. But crucially it will weaken and no longer be a hurricane or tropical storm before it brings the UK any impacts.