High surf and dangerous rip currents are likely. People are advised to stay out of the water this week, even when a lifeguard is on duty.

Meteorologists are closely tracking the projected path and forecast of Hurricane Erin, which is the first hurricane to develop over the Atlantic this year.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Erin held strong as a Category 2 hurricane, packing maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (180 kph). It was located about 365 miles (590 kilometers) south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, and its enormous wind field continues to grow.

People trying to enjoy the last hurrahs of summer along the coast are being met on Wednesday with rip-current warnings, closed beaches and treacherous waves as Erin inches closer, once again on the cusp of becoming a major hurricane as it treks north after lashing Bermuda.

Hurricane Erin may not be on track to make landfall, but it is still bringing dangerous and destructive impacts up and down the East Coast.

All , New York City and Long Island beaches are closed through Aug. 21 as Hurricane Erin makes its way up the Atlantic coast.