12-Foot Waves To Swamp MD Beaches As Hurricane Erin Rolls By

OCEAN CITY, MD — With waves around 12 feet, a report said Hurricane Erin started to erode Ocean City beaches on Thursday morning.

The Maryland vacation town is bracing for strong winds and coastal flooding. Despite the rough seas and deadly rip currents, Ocean City expects to escape without serious damage, as the Category 2 storm should remain hundreds of miles off the coast.

The worst of the storm is anticipated on Thursday. Scattered showers could accompany the storm surge, which is the main threat. Smaller waves will linger into Friday, and the ocean should be mostly calm by Saturday and normal by Sunday.

Most of the upper Chesapeake should go unscathed.

The Anne Arundel County shoreline will be under a coastal flood watch from 4 a.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday. About 2 to 2.5 feet of inundation above ground level is possible in low-lying areas.

Bayfront towns on the lower Eastern Shore may see minor flooding.

Jake Grant, a meteorologist for Salisbury's WMDT, said the Ocean City beach was experiencing "major erosion" and "the strongest waves have not arrived."

"The water has reached the boardwalk a couple of times with the surge moving onto land," Grant said Thursday morning on Facebook. "The strongest waves, will be later today, but the good news is low tide in Ocean City is during the 1 o'clock hour, so that should help a little."

Cameras from Ocean City Live showed choppy waters creeping further onto the beach around 9:30 a.m. At 9th Street, waves had covered the sand, and their furthest edges had reached the bottom of the retaining wall on the side of the boardwalk. The strongest waves had grazed the boardwalk parking lot at the inlet. Some sand had blown onto the boardwalk, but pedestrians were still milling about.

Photographer Nick Denny captured these clips of rising seas at high tide Thursday morning.

"While Ocean City is not in the direct path of Hurricane Erin, the storm's impacts will be felt along our coastline," Emergency Services Director Joe Theobald said in a press release. "We strongly advise everyone to stay alert, monitor weather updates, and follow all safety advisories."

As of 8 a.m. Thursday, Hurricane Erin was located 210 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. It had maximum sustained winds of 105 mph and was moving north-northeast at 17 mph.

Radar showed that Erin's rain bands stretched from North Carolina to Long Island.

Ocean City is under a slew of weather alerts.

A high surf advisory is in effect until 7 a.m. Friday, calling for waves of 8 to 12 feet in the surf zone. Offshore, waves could reach 22 feet Thursday afternoon.

Ocean City could see wind 24 to 31 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph, drawing a wind advisory through 11:59 p.m. Thursday.

Out on the ocean, a tropical storm warning is in effect, and winds could reach 35 to 40 mph with gusts up to 52 mph.

A coastal flood warning anticipates 1 to 2 feet of inundation above ground in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways. The warning runs from 5 p.m. Thursday to 2 p.m. Friday.

Ocean City and Assateague Island closed their beaches to swimmers as of Tuesday.

Ocean City officials offered these tips:

• Beach Advisory: Swimming and surfing remain prohibited until further notice due to hazardous surf and dangerous rip currents.
• Flooding: Coastal flooding is expected in the downtown area and other low-lying sections of town, especially during high tide cycles.
• Travel Advisory: Motorists should use caution, avoid flooded roadways, and allow extra time for travel.
• Emergency Preparedness: Residents and visitors are encouraged to secure outdoor furniture and belongings, charge electronic devices, and have emergency supplies on hand.

Here is the National Weather Service's seven-day forecast for Ocean City:

Thursday: Scattered showers, mainly before 5pm. Cloudy, with a high near 77. Windy, with a north wind 24 to 31 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Thursday Night: Cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing, with a low around 65. Windy, with a north wind 18 to 26 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 77. North wind 11 to 15 mph.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 67. East wind 5 to 7 mph becoming south after midnight.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 77. Light south wind becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 70.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.

Sunday Night: A chance of showers after 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Monday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 67.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 78.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 63.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75.