Conditions worsen at North Topsail Beach as Hurricane Erin nears NC
HERE ON WRAL AND WRAL NEWS.
PLUS, TO KEEP YOU UP TO DATE.
ALL RIGHT. THANKS SO MUCH, KAT
BEACH EROSION AND RIP CURRENTS.
THOSE ARE 2 MAIN CONCERNS FOR
PEOPLE SOUTH OF THE OUTER BANKS
IN NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH. SOME
BEACH ACCESS POINTS ARE CLOSED
UNTIL THE STORM PASSES. TAKE A
LOOK AT HOW WIDE AND HOW HIGH
THE WATER IS. THIS IS WHERE
WRAL'S HEIDI KIRK HAS BEEN
MONITORING CONDITIONS TODAY,
HEIDI. THE SURF REALLY TURNING
THERE.
>> WE KNOW THINGS THAT CHANGE
REALLY LEFT RAPIDLY HERE IN
NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH. TAKE A
LOOK OUT HERE AT THE SURF,
SEEING SOME WAVES REALLY
CHURNING UP HERE. WE'VE BEEN
WATCHING IT LAST FEW HOURS.
AND THIS IS DEFINITELY THE
HIGHEST THAT THE SURF HAS BEEN
ALL DAY LONG. AND TAKE A LOOK
OVER HERE. WE'VE GOT SOME AREAS
THAT ARE ALREADY PROTECTED FROM
THE SERVE. IN FACT, RIGHT HERE,
WE'VE GOT THOSE SANDBAGS
HOLDING BACK THE WATER. BUT OF
COURSE, ALL EYES TODAY ON THE
DUNES TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN
HOLD AMID THE HURRICANE
IMPACTS.
>> IT'S A WAITING GAME FOR DAN
HEYNS IN THE LAST 24 HOURS.
HE CAPTURED THE SERVE AS HIGH
UP AS THE STAIRS IN HIS CONDO
IN NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH. IT
WOULD JUST SMASHING THROUGH AND
ALL THE SAND CAME OVER ON TOP
OF THAT ON TOP OF THE WALKWAY
AS EVACUATION WARNINGS, FORCE
PEOPLE OUT OF THE OUTER BANKS
HERE. PEOPLE ARE STAYING.
PUT HERE FOR THIS STORM.
>> TURNED AND CAME STRAIGHT
AT US. YES, I WOULDN'T BE
STANDING HERE TALKING TO YOU.
I'D BE OUT HERE. BUT THERE ARE
OTHER THREATS FOR THE PEOPLE
FARTHER SOUTH RIP CURRENTS AND
EROSION CREWS ON STANDBY FOR
WATER RESCUES AND ALSO DOING A
CHECK OF OUR
>> SHORELINE. JUST TAKING
FOOTAGE FLYING A DRONE
DOCUMENTING PRE STORM
CONDITIONS. NORTH TOP SOULS
TOWN MANAGER SAYS EROSION IS
ALWAYS A CONCERN THEY WORK WITH
COASTAL ENGINEERS LIKE FRAN
WAY, WHO SAYS NOURISHMENT
PROJECTS ARE A MUST TO PROTECT
THESE HOMES. THEIR ULTIMATE
THING IS IS WILL BE DOING
FAILURE OR THAT'S WHERE AND
THEN WE'RE GETTING FLOODING ON
THE STREETS AROUND. THE HOUSE
IS IN HURRICANE ERIN. THAT'S
NOT EXPECTED. BUT EVERY STORE
MUST BE MONITORED JUST IN CASE
A STORM THAT BRINGS IN, YOU
KNOW.
>> A LOT OF WATER. THAT'S WHEN
WE START TO REALLY GET IN
TROUBLE. AND LUCKILY WE'RE
THERE AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT
MUCH STORM SURGE. THAT HIGHS
HAVE BEEN PRETTY PRETTY MUCH
SIMILAR TO WHAT WE NORMALLY
SEE. ALL EYES ON HURRICANE
ERIN.
>> ALL EYES ON HURRICANE ERIN.
AND OF COURSE, LOTS OF PEOPLE
GATHER AROUND RIGHT NOW
WATCHING THOSE WAVES REALLY
TRUE OR NOT. BUT OF COURSE,
LOTS OF PEOPLE STILL LOOKING AT
THE DUNES BEHIND ME TO MAKE
SURE THEY CAN HOLD. NOW WE'RE
ON THE PART OF THE BEACH WHERE
THERE IS CURRENTLY ACCESSING.
THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE STILL
OUT HERE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO
REMEMBER THAT THE ONES MANAGED
BY ONSLOW COUNTY ARE CURRENTLY