North Carolina Governor Josh Stein is declaring a state of emergency as Hurricane Erin threatens the coast with flooding and high winds.
Mandatory evacuation orders are in place for Ocracoke and Hatteras islands where tropical storm level winds are expected today and tomorrow.
The governor warned residents to have emergency kits ready and listen to weather alerts. Erin, currently a Category 2 hurricane, is as of last update about 500 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras.