As the edges of Hurricane Erin get closer to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, much attention has been placed on Highway 12, a roughly 150-mile-long byway that connects that state’s islands and peninsulas. It is beloved by locals and tourists because of its scenic views of the ocean, sand dunes and old lighthouses.

Dramatic aerial footage shows storm surge flooding homes and a motel in North Carolina’s Outer Banks on Aug. 19 as Hurricane Erin battered the coast. Officials ordered evacuations in Dare County, warning of life-threatening winds and rising waters.

High surf advisories are in effect from Florida to Massachusetts, with Wednesday marking the peak for dangerous and destructive waves. Waves could reach 10 to 20 feet in North Carolina’s Outer Banks, 11 feet in the Southeast, and 15 feet in the Northeast.

The Outer Banks' remote beaches, dunes and oceanfront houses, are among the "most dynamic natural landscapes occupied by man," U.S. Geological Survey scientists wrote in 2016. As Erin tracked north,

Hurricane Erin strengthened on Wednesday as it headed north in the Atlantic. Here's the latest update, path, warnings and more for the Jersey Shore.

The wild horses of the Outer Banks of North Carolina are majestic, athletic and in total harmony with nature. As Hurricane Erin may stop by and sit for a spell,

Dangerous coastal impacts from Hurricane Erin will peak along the East Coast on Wednesday and Thursday as the storm passes offshore.

Powerful Hurricane Erin is expected to bring high seas, big rip currents, and rough surf as it moves between the United States and Bermuda.