Millions of American citizens have been warned to prepare for the threat of Hurricane Erin as seven states could be affected by the tropical storm.
Hurricane Erin is currently moving towards the mainland, heading northwest at 13mph, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 130mph.
The first Atlantic Ocean storm of the season, Hurricane Erin briefly intensified to Category 5 status on Saturday (August 16), which has the potential to pose a threat to life and cause deadly rip currents.
While the storm has since reached Category 3, NBC News reports that it is still set to cause some damage.
Officials in North Carolina have declared a state of urgency and ordered multiple coastal areas to evacuate, and flood warnings have also been issued for parts of South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts.
While Hurricane Erin is not expected to make landfall and is expected to hit around 200 miles offshore, it is set to cause 20-foot waves and rip currents along the East Coast.
Forecasters expect estimated wind speeds of around 115mph by using satellite data, but the National Hurricane Center has expressed caution about this number.
The National Hurricane Center said, as reported by the Daily Mail: "There are mixed signals on Erin's future intensity.
"More favorable environmental shear and upper-level divergence in 24–36 hours could allow some re-intensification, but Erin's slow motion and large size may bring cooler water to the surface, limiting significant strengthening."
The Tri-State Area is expected to be impacted through Thursday (August 20), with Long Island's South Shore and the Jersey Shore being the most affected.
Residents and visitors have already been evacuated from Ocracoke Island following an emergency declaration from Hyde County.
Donnie Shumate, Hyde County Public Information Officer, said in a press release: "While Hurricane Erin is expected to stay well off our coast, the system will continue to increase in size and is forecast to bring life-threatening impacts to the Ocracoke coastline and render Highway 12 impassable."
Though the storm has weakened in recent hours, Hurricane Erin is expected to remain "dangerous" throughout the middle of the week.
The NHC added: "Even though some weakening is forecast beginning Monday night, Erin will remain a large and dangerous major hurricane through the middle of the week," urging residents to abide by any warnings or instructions from local government.
A Tropical Storm Watch has also been issued for the central Bahamas, with warnings also still in place for the Turks and Caicos Islands and southeast Bahamas.
Most of the 38,000 residents of Dare County in North Carolina have also been evacuatd.
Drew Pearson, the emergency management director, said in a statement: "I encourage all residents and visitors to heed the evacuation order and take action to protect themselves, to protect their property, and to get up and leave — now."