Hurricane Erin pelted parts of the Caribbean and was forecast to create dangerous surf and rip currents along the U.S. East Coast this week.

There's a popular T-shirt on Hatteras Island on the North Carolina Outer Banks that says: “One road on. One road off (sometimes)” — poking fun at the constant battle between Mother Nature and a thin ribbon of pavement connecting the narrow barrier island to the rest of the world.

Forecasters in North Carolina are warning that Hurricane Erin’s winds and surf could cause major damage to beach and coastal areas in the Outer Banks, including flooding homes and businesses farther inland.