Two of the four counties on the Outer Banks declared states of emergency.

North Carolina’s Outer Banks are bracing for high waves, strong winds and flooding that could close sections of N.C. 12 for days as a powerful Hurricane Erin passes by this week.

North Carolina transportation officials are now plainly saying that a key Outer Banks highway will be submerged because of flooding and high surf from Hurricane Erin.

Erin is the fifth named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season and the first hurricane, as well as the first major hurricane. The NHC has warned that the system, a Category 4 hurricane at the time of writing,