Hurricane Erin is marching north and is set to bring life-threatening rip currents, destructive waves, coastal flooding and possibly beach erosion to much of the East Coast. The conditions will last through Thursday before improving later on Friday and into Saturday.

The outer bands of Hurricane Erin are brushing North Carolina's Outer Banks, as beachgoers along most U.S. East Coast shores are being warned against swimming due to the risk of life-threatening surf and rip currents, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Wednesday night.

A tropical storm warning has been issued for North Carolina as Hurricane Erin churns up the east coast of the U.S. as a Category 2 storm.