Hurricane Erin moving away from the East Coast as Category 2 storm

Hurricane Erin is taking a turn to the northeast and moving away from the coast of North Carolina as rip currents remain a threat in the area and beachgoers are warned to stay out of the water

Hurricane Erin is taking a turn to the northeast and moving away from the coast of North Carolina as rip currents remain a threat in the area and beachgoers are warned to stay out of the water.

Flooding along the North Carolina and mid-Atlantic coast remains a threat in connection with the Category 2 storm, the National Hurricane Center said in an 8 a.m. ET advisory.

The hurricane center maintained its tropical storm warning for Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina, to Chincoteague, Virginia. A tropical storm watch is in effect for Bermuda, and storm surges are possible on the coast.

The highest high tide will occur on Thursday evening along the Outer Banks, when storm surge inundation of 2 to 4 feet will be most likely. Farther north, inundation of 1 to 3 feet will be possible from Duck, North Carolina, to Sandy Hook, New Jersey.

Dangerous rip currents and coastal flooding will remain threats in the area into early Saturday. As of 3:30 a.m. on Thursday, the National Weather Service in Wilmington, North Carolina, said rip currents were continuing due to increased swells.