As Hurricane Erin approached North Carolina's Outer Banks on Tuesday, Holly Andrzejewski was forced to reschedule the first guests of the Atlantic Inn — which she and her husband had just purchased — before they had even officially welcomed them. The approaching storm brought threats of rough surf and tropical storm-force winds, prompting evacuations in areas like Hatteras Island.

Though Erin is expected to remain offshore, officials issued evacuation orders for barrier islands, including Hatteras, warning that the storm could generate life-threatening rip currents and waves as high as 15 feet (4.6 meters), possibly flooding roads.

The Andrzejewskis had only owned the historic inn — the oldest on the island — for less than a week. By Monday, they had secured outdoor items and ensured their daughter and her boyfriend, who manage the inn, had supplies like generators and water to ride out the storm. Andrzejewski, who lives 15 minutes away, also planned to stay on the island.

“It’s part of living at the beach — you know it’s always a risk, so you just deal with it,” she said.

On Monday, Erin brought heavy rain and strong winds to parts of the Caribbean. While forecasters expect it to turn north and avoid the U.S. mainland, tropical storm and surge warnings were issued across much of the Outer Banks. Lifeguards in Wrightsville Beach, near Wilmington, reported rescuing over 60 swimmers caught in rip currents.

As of early Tuesday, Erin’s sustained winds had decreased to 120 mph (195 kph), and it was moving northwest at 7 mph (11 kph), about 770 miles (1,240 km) south-southeast of Cape Hatteras. The Turks and Caicos Islands remained under a tropical storm warning, with ports closed, government services halted, and residents told to stay indoors.

Coastal flooding along North Carolina’s Outer Banks is expected from Tuesday through Thursday. The evacuations from Hatteras and Ocracoke come during peak tourist season on these vulnerable barrier islands, which are increasingly threatened by storm surges.

Last year, even though Hurricane Ernesto stayed far offshore, it still generated high waves and coastal damage. Now, officials worry that prolonged heavy surf and strong winds from Erin could erode parts of the main highway, potentially making some roads unusable for days.

This marks the first evacuation of Ocracoke since Hurricane Dorian in 2019, which caused unprecedented damage on the island. Tommy Hutcherson, owner of the island’s only grocery store, said the community has largely recovered but remains cautious.

“You just never know. I thought the same about Dorian — and we got hit hard,” he said.

Experts say climate change is driving more rapid intensification of Atlantic hurricanes. Warmer oceans and higher atmospheric moisture levels are contributing to stronger, wetter storms.

In Bermuda, which is expected to see the worst impact Thursday night, waves could reach 24 feet (7 meters), according to local meteorologists. Officials there are urging the public to stay off the water to avoid life-threatening conditions.