As of Wednesday afternoon, Hurricane Erin is just under 300 miles from North Carolina's Outer Banks. Waves are building and beaches are closed in Nags Head where FOX Weather Correspondent Katie Byrne reports that officials are concerned for residents who have not evacuated nearby Hatteras Island.

Beachfront property owners braced for the worst amid predictions of a storm surge of up to 4 feet and significant coastal erosion. Powerful waves of 15 to 20 feet are expected to slam beaches, especially in North Carolina, for 48 hours or more as the hurricane crawls northward offshore through at least Thursday.