Coastal flooding, monster waves hit Jersey Shore as Hurricane Erin churns offshore

OCEAN CITY, N.J. (WPVI) — Coastal flooding remains a major concern along the Jersey Shore as Hurricane Erin continues to churn offshore, bringing dangerous surf and rip currents.

On Thursday night, emergency vehicles were stationed on flood-prone streets as high tide approached. Videos shared with Action News showed flooding in towns including Ocean City and Margate.

Earlier in the day, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared a State of Emergency in anticipation of flooding and hazardous surf conditions.

“Over the past couple of days, we have seen the effects of Hurricane Erin along the Jersey Shore in the form of dangerous rip tides. [Thursday] and [Friday] will be no exception,” Governor Murphy said in a statement.

The storm kicked up big waves along the mid-Atlantic coast and began a slow march out to sea after pelting North Carolina’s Outer Banks with strong winds and swells that flooded a few places on the barrier islands.

The storm will continue to bring the threat of dangerous rip currents and coastal flooding into the weekend, even as forecasters predict it will gradually weaken.

RELATED: Jersey shore feeling impacts from Hurricane Erin as it races up the Atlantic Ocean

Erin’s strength has fluctuated significantly over the past week.

Erin lost some strength Tuesday and dropped to a Category 2 hurricane as it moved northward, roughly parallel to the East Coast. However, its maximum sustained winds were around 100 mph (160 kph) on Thursday. Erin could become a major hurricane again before finally weakening by Friday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

Although the weather center was confident Erin would not make direct landfall in the United States, authorities warned that water conditions along the East Coast remain dangerous.

Monster waves

Residents and visitors gathered throughout the day to witness the dramatic surf and feel the strong winds firsthand.

“Look at those waves, they’re monsters out there,” said Rich DiCioccio of Atlantic City.

Ken Grossman, of Margate, described the ocean as chaotic. “It’s a washing machine, as they say. You can get 4, 5, 6, 7 sets of waves coming in,” he said.

In Ventnor, the fishing pier drew crowds eager to watch the ocean’s fury, while others walked along the beach.

“We’re a little worried about our car. So we might put our car up high,” said Gale Economou of Ventnor.

Lt. Joe Iannuzzelli of Ventnor OEM said crews are ready to respond to any flooding.

“We have two water rescue vehicles, they’re reclaimed Humvees from the county. We have those ready to go,” Iannuzzelli said. “We have a code red alert system, so if and when these streets do close, which we are expecting them to, we’ll have a code red alert sent out to anyone who’s signed up for that.”

Officials are also urging people to stay out of the water, citing dangerous conditions.

“The waves are big, the wind is blowing 30 mph today and we’re keeping everyone out of the water,” said Chief David Funk of the Ventnor Beach Patrol

In Cape May, the ocean became the main attraction, even though lifeguards keep swimmers at bay.

“Our goal was to go on the beach. We were out there yesterday. We’re making the most of it, shopping, getting ice cream,” said Melissa Mascitelli of Avondale.

In Ocean City, people gathered on the Music Pier to take in the cresting thunderous ocean. Beaches are closed here, but some surfers still got their way.

“Honestly, on a day like today, we’re keeping a close eye on them, making sure they don’t look like they’re in distress,” said Kelly Catania with the Ocean City Beach Patrol.

Officials say parts of New Jersey will experience sustained winds of up to 50 mph. Large breaking waves as high as 17 feet are expected along the shore.

Warnings about rip currents have been posted from Bermuda and Florida all the way up to the New England coast.

Already this year, there have been at least 27 people killed from rip currents in U.S. waters, according to the National Weather Service. About 100 people drown from rip currents along U.S. beaches each year, according to the United States Lifesaving Association. And more than 80% of beach rescues annually involve rip currents.

Flood-prone areas could also see one to three feet of water.

“As the storm moves past New Jersey over the next 24 hours, we are expecting high surf and rip currents, coastal and flash flooding, and a high erosion risk in parts of the state. We ask all New Jerseyans to monitor local weather forecasts and warnings and stay informed on evacuation protocols, especially if you’re down the Shore,” Governor Murphy said.

ALSO SEE: Hurricane Erin stirs up strong winds and floods part of a NC highway as it slowly moves out to sea

Officials advise that those living along the shore should be mindful of evacuation routes in case of an emergency.

For more information on evacuation routes, visit the on New Jersey Office of Emergency Management website.

Although Erin is the first Atlantic hurricane of the year, there have been four tropical storms this hurricane season already. Tropical Storm Chantal made the first U.S. landfall of the season in early July, and its remnants caused flooding in North Carolina that killed an 83-year-old woman when her car was swept off a rural road.

And, at least 132 people were killed in floodwaters that overwhelmed Texas Hill Country on the Fourth of July.

Just over a week later, flash floods inundated New York City and parts of New Jersey, claiming two lives.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.