Cape Hatteras Motel on Highway 12 in Buxton is dealing with damage from Hurricane Erin as the storm continues north, bringing high winds and waves with it.

Even before storm surge warnings were issued in North Carolina’s Outer Banks, ocean overwash started inundating shoresides homes and hotels. Transportation crews hustled to shore up dunes in the hopes of at least delaying the wash out of the critical road in and out of the area – Highway 12.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for the coastal regions of Virginia, the Outer Banks, Pamlico Sound, and the Eastern Shore. A coastal flood warning is in place from Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon for coastal areas in Hampton Roads, on the Eastern Shore, and on the Outer Banks.

The NCDOT shut down all lanes of the highway on Ocracoke Island between the Northern Ferry Terminal and the National Park Service Pony Pens last night until further notice. Lanes will also stay closed on Hatteras Island from the Marc Basnight Bridge to Hatteras Village.

The massive storm is expected to bring coastal flooding and tropical storm conditions to parts of the mid-Atlantic despite not making landfall.

High tide peak storm surges from Hurricane Erin are forecast from 1 to 3 feet between South Carolina and Virginia, and 2 to 4 feet on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Erin at 8 a.

Holly Andrzejewski hadn’t yet welcomed her and her family’s first guests to the Atlantic Inn on Hatteras Island when she had to start rescheduling them, as Hurricane Erin neared North Carolina’s Outer Banks on Tuesday and threatened to whip up wild waves and tropical force winds.