VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Dangerous rip currents and large battering waves are hitting much of the East Coast Tuesday due to Hurricane Franklin.
Virginia Beach, the Eastern Shore and the Outer Banks of North Carolina are affected by these beach hazards, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Hurricane Franklin has sustained winds of 140 miles an hour and is moving north-northeast. It will pass between the U.S. East Coast and the island of Bermuda. While the storm will stay far off the Atlantic coast, it will cause strong rip currents and high surf.
According to the NWS, the beaches of Accomack County, Northampton County and Virginia Beach are at a high risk meaning that "life-threatening rip currents are likely in the surf zone." It also entails breaking waves of four to five feet. The entirety of the Outer Banks in North Carolina are under high risk as well.
On the Outer Banks, Dare County Emergency Management tweeted warning people of the high rip current risk and said that the "ocean [is] unsafe for swimming."
This comes just before North Carolina declared a state of emergency for incoming Hurricane Idalia which could increase the likelihood of more impacts later this week.