Hurricane Erin continues to churn in the Atlantic waters hundreds of miles off the U.S., prompting officials to close beaches along the East Coast from the mid-Atlantic to the Northeast.

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.

The storm is expected to bring dangerous conditions to parts of the coast on Wednesday but then turn away from the United States.

Hurricane Erin is bringing 100 mph winds and dangerous rip currents to coastal towns, prompting beach closures and tropical storm warnings from North Carolina to Virginia.