The outer bands of Hurricane Erin are brushing North Carolina's Outer Banks, as beachgoers along most U.S. East Coast shores are being warned against swimming due to the risk of life-threatening surf and rip currents, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Wednesday night.

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

Hurricane Erin began to move away from the North Carolina coast early Thursday, according to forecasters who are warning beachgoers against swimming at most U.S. East Coast beaches due to "life-threatening" surf and rip currents.