"Outer bands of large Hurricane Erin nearing the North Carolina Outer Banks,'' the National Hurricane Center said in its 5 p.m. ET update, pointing out swimming at most East Coast beaches is strongly discouraged "due to life-threatening surf and rip currents." Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.

From Florida to New England, people trying to enjoy the last hurrahs of summer along the coast were met with rip-current warnings, closed beaches and in some cases already treacherous waves as Hurric...

Officials have ordered evacuations of Hatteras and Ocracoke islands even without a hurricane warning because that tiny ribbon of highway called NC 12 will likely be torn up and washed out in several ...