North Carolina’s governor urged state residents along the coast to prepare and listen to emergency guidelines in anticipation of the storm.

H urricane Erin, now a Category 2 hurricane, has prompted a state of emergency in North Carolina and is expected to bring dangerous waves and rip currents to beaches along the East Coast. "To folks on the coast, now is the time to prepare," North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein warned on Tuesday.

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein declared a state of emergency on Tuesday as Hurricane Erin makes its way along the U.S. East Coast, his office said.