OUTER BANKS, N.C. — Cape Hatteras National Seashore is closing its beach accesses and facilities ahead of expected impacts from Hurricane Erin this week.
Watch: Tracking Hurricane Erin in Virginia & North Carolina
While some of the Seashore's facilities are closing earlier than others, all visitor sites, campgrounds, beaches and off-road vehicle (ORV) ramps will be closed by the end of Tuesday. The Seashore provided the following closure schedule:
- Beach access: Starting the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 19, visitors should stay off the beaches and beach trails and boardwalks.
- ORV ramps: Closing by Monday, Aug. 18. Beach access ramp statuses can be checked here.
- Camp Point, Frisco and Ocracoke campgrounds: Closing by 3 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 18.
- Oregon Inlet Campground: Closing at noon on Tuesday, Aug. 19.
- Visitor facilities: The Museum of the Sea at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and the Discovery Center on Ocracoke Island will be closed by 5 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 18. Facilities will not reopen until the storm has passed and assessments are made to determine a safe opening. Bodie Island Lighthouse will be closing on Wednesday and Thursday.
Watch: Stronger, bigger Hurricane Erin forecast to create dangerous surf along US coast
While Hurricane Erin isn't expected to make landfall, we will feel the storm's impacts. Meteorologist Myles Henderson says Erin is forecast to slide just off of the North Carolina/Virginia coastline Wednesday to Thursday, and ocean overwash is likely along the Outer Banks.
Other precautions are being taken in the Outer Banks as Erin nears the East Coast: Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke are under mandatory evacuation orders.
WTKR News 3 will provide updates on Erin's movement here.
