Tropical storm, storm surge watches for NC coast, including OBX and Morehead City area

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — As Hurricane Erin is likely to impact the North Carolina coast, a tropical storm watch was issued Monday for much of the North Carolina coast, including the Outer Banks, the Emerald Isle area, and down to Topsail Island, the National Weather Service said Monday.

A storm surge watch was also issued Monday for much of the North Carolina coast, which means life-threatening flooding is possible in the next 48 hours.

The tropical storm watch is from the Northern Outer Banks down to Surf City, just north of Topsail Beach, the weather service said.

The storm surge watch is for various Outer Banks islands and islands in the Morehead City area in Carteret County.

Forecasters said there is a risk of flooding more than three feet above ground in Rodanthe, Buxton, Hatteras Village, Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, Manteo, Ocracoke Island, Beaufort, Harkers Island, and Cedar Island.

Already, Dare and Hyde counties have ordered evacuations of Hatteras and Ocracoke islands at the Outer Banks.

The National Weather Service also said there will be wind from Hurricane Erin from 39 mph to 57 mph.

“Plan for hazardous wind of equivalent tropical storm force,” forecasters said.

In the storm surge watch area, there will likely be beach damage, in addition to land flooding.

The weather service said to expect “major beach erosion with heavy surf breaching dunes” [and] “strong and numerous rip currents”.