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.

People trying to enjoy the last hurrahs of summer along the coast are being met on Wednesday with rip-current warnings, closed beaches and treacherous waves as Erin inches closer, once again on the cusp of becoming a major hurricane as it treks north after lashing Bermuda.

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.

All beaches in Westchester, New York City and Long Island are closed completely, or closed to swimming, through Thursday, Aug. 21, as Hurricane Erin makes its way up the Atlantic coast. Erin began its upward movement along the Atlantic coast Aug.

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