Hurricane Erin picks up steam as it edges along the East Coast

Hurricane Erin began strengthening again Wednesday while creeping toward the mid-Atlantic coast and churning up menacing waves that have closed beaches from the Carolinas to New York City.

- BY ALLEN G. BREED AND JOHN SEEWER

PEOPLE wade into the ocean Wednesday on a closed New Jersey beach due to Hurricane Erin conditions.

Forecasters expect the storm to peak going into Thursday and say it could re-intensify into a major hurricane.

Although Erin is unlikely to make landfall along the East Coast before turning farther out to sea, water began pouring onto North Carolina’s Outer Banks main route and around a handful of stilted homes precariously perched above the beach.

Authorities expect that the largest swells during high tide will cut off the Outer Banks’ villages and vacation homes and whip up life-threatening rip currents from Florida to New England.

New York City closed its beaches to swimming Wednesday and Thursday. Some beaches in New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware also will be temporarily off limits.

Off Massachusetts, Nantucket Island could see waves of more than 10 feet later this week. But the biggest threat remained along the Outer Banks, where longtime residents didn’t seem too concerned.