Hurricane Erin is set to threaten large stretches of the US East Coast on Wednesday, bringing storm surges, rip currents, and coastal flooding, forecasters have warned.

Outer bands from Hurricane Erin are expected to bring worsening conditions to the coast of North Carolina by this evening, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center.

Although the storm is expected to stay offshore, it will produce dangerous surf conditions for much of the Atlantic Coast this week, forecasters say.