FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Conditions along the U.S. mid-Atlantic coast will deteriorate over the next 24 to 36 hours as Hurricane Erin makes its closest approach, bringing storm surge flooding and life-threatening rip currents.

Storm surge and tropical storm warnings are in effect for much of the North Carolina coast along the Outer Banks, where the greatest impact will be felt. But high surf and rip current warnings stretch from Florida to New England.

Meanwhile, forecasters are also concerned about two other systems that have a chance of forming in Erin’s wake, one currently traveling across the Atlantic and another off the coast of Africa.

As of 5 a.m. Wednesday, Hurricane Erin was about 455 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph — making it a Category 2 hurricane. It was traveling north-northwest at 13 mph.

There is little doubt in Erin’s forecast track, which will turn north and then northeast, following the curve of the U.S. coast, then back out into the open Atlantic.

The National Weather Service in Melbourne said the storm is making its closest approach to Florida on Wednesday morning east of Cape Canaveral, so winds won’t be a factor. But high surf will be.

“Significant coastal and boating effects will be felt here. Building swells from Hurricane Erin will lead to an ongoing high risk of rip currents along with breaking waves of 5 to 8 feet producing rough pounding surf with minor beach and dune erosion, particularly during the high tide cycles,” the NWS stated.

“Swells generated by Erin will affect the Bahamas, Bermuda, the east coast of the United States, and Atlantic Canada during the next several days,” the hurricane center said. “These rough ocean conditions will likely cause life-threatening surf and rip currents.”

The NHC issued tropical storm and storm surge warnings from Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina, to Duck, North Carolina, including Pamlico and Albemarle sounds, and tropical storm watches from Duck, North Carolina, to Chincoteague, Virginia, and for Bermuda.

The Outer Banks should see tropical storm conditions beginning Wednesday night, along with the possibility of heavy rain Wednesday into Thursday, with the potential for 1 to 2 inches and a local maximum of 4 inches.

Storm surge, if it occurs at high tide, could be 2 to 4 feet above normal levels from Cape Lookout to Duck, North Carolina, the hurricane center said.

“The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline,” the 8 p.m. forecast said.

Elsewhere, forecasters are also monitoring the system over the central tropical Atlantic that is currently a disorganized cluster of thunderstorms. It could organize into a tropical depression or tropical storm by week’s end and reach the vicinity of the easternmost Caribbean Islands by Friday. As of 2 a.m. Wednesday, it has a 60% chance of developing in the next seven days, and a 10% chance of developing in the next 48 hours.

Forecasters said it was too soon to predict possible tracks, but that was a system to keep an eye on. But its potential track has shifted north compared to previous outlooks.

Another system that emerged off the coast of Africa on Monday night has a 30% chance of developing within the next two days, forecasters said. It will enter an unfavorable environment later in the week as it moves west, lessening chances for development.

The next named storm will be Fernand.

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