Hurricane Erin has weakened to a Category 1 storm after lashing North Carolina's Outer Banks with rough waves and coastal flooding, and bringing a threat of dangerous waves and potentially deadly rip currents to the East Coast.
Erin remains a large Category 1 hurricane as it races further away from the U.S. coastline about 400 miles south of Nova Scotia.
Coastal flooding alerts remain in effect from the Carolinas to Long Island to Maine where 1 to 2 feet of inundation is possible in low-lying areas during high tide.
The storm’s large wind field -- which extends over 400 miles from its center -- is why there have been such destructive conditions along the East Coast, even as the hurricane pulls away.
High surf advisories continue from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to Maine, along with threats of possible beach erosion due to destructive waves in areas across coastal New England.
Waves could reach up to 10 feet in the Outer Banks up through Long Island, including the Jersey Shore and New York City beaches. In Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maine, waves could reach heights of 15 feet into Saturday.
High rip current risks are still possible through the weekend along parts of the East Coast, making for dangerous beach conditions.
Erin will likely become a post-tropical on Friday going into Saturday as it races out to sea.
-ABC News' Melissa Griffin
Hurricane Erin maintains its strength with maximum winds at 90 mph.
The storm is located between Nova Scotia and Bermuda, with the center being about 400 miles south of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Erin continues to race away from the East Coast, moving east at 28 mph.
The storm is expected to become post-tropical by Friday evening, but will remain a large system with a powerful, hurricane-force low-pressure system as it continues its trek out to sea.
The storm is still expected to bring rough surf and dangerous rip currents for the U.S. East Coast into the weekend.
-ABC News' Kyle Reiman
Overnight, about 50 people were rescued along the Jersey Shore due to flooding brought on by Hurricane Erin, according to the Margate Fire Department.
Around 16 people were rescued from their vehicles, while 34 people were saved from two flooded restaurants.
Photos show the streets in the area flooded with water.
Erin brought coastal flooding, damaging surf and dangerous rip currents for the East Coast. From North Carolina into New York, instances of coastal flooding caused scattered road closures.
High surf advisories continue into the weekend from the Outer Banks of North Carolina up to coastal New England as Hurricane Erin moves northeast.
Additionally, the rip current danger is expected to be high on Friday from Florida all the way up to Maine, with similar conditions expected this weekend. Swimming at any East Coast beach this weekend is not advised.
Erin is expected to weaken as it continues east out to sea, eventually becoming a post-tropical system over the North Atlantic that resembles a nor’easter rather than a tropical system.
-ABC News' Kyle Reiman
