Much of North Carolina’s Outer Banks region is under a tropical storm watch with Hurricane Erin expected to skirt the area Wednesday through Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The Outer Banks in North Carolina are under evacuation warning as Hurricane Erin whips up potentially 20-foot high waves and flooding along the east coast.

Forecasters in North Carolina are warning that Hurricane Erin’s winds and surf could cause major damage to beach and coastal areas in the Outer Banks, including flooding homes and businesses farther inland.