Though Hurricane Erin has come and gone, data analysis from the storm is still ongoing, and results keep rolling in, just like the waves. While multiple entities are involved in assessing storm impacts and variables, the Coastal Studies Institute manages two Waverider buoys deployed off the coast of the Outer Banks that recorded sea conditions during the storm. The buoys are operated in partnership with the Coastal Data Information Program (CDIP), a large network that monitors the waves and beaches along the United States’ coastlines, at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Both buoys managed by CSI monitor wave height, speed, and direction, as well as sea surface temperature. Buoy 192 is located approximately 8 miles south of Oregon Inlet, and Buoy 243 is located 10 miles offshore of Nags Head, NC.
The bulletin below, distributed by CDIP, highlights some of the notable waves caused by Hurricane Erin throughout the affected network area.
As noted in the graphic briefing, the wind field of the storm reached nearly 600 miles wide. Buoy 171 in Virginia Beach recorded its third-largest significant wave height in station history with nearly 25-foot seas. There, the highest individual wave measured during Hurricane Erin reached just over 40 ft tall.
Along the Outer Banks, the largest individual waves recorded during Hurricane Erin were approximately 30.5 ft (CDIP 250, Cape Hatteras East), just over 29 ft (CDIP 192, Oregon Inlet), and about 29.5 ft (CDIP 243, Nags Head).
While the static image above only highlights waves from Hurricane Erin, it is possible to check on current conditions from CDIP Buoys 192 and 243 at any time by visiting https://www.coastalstudiesinstitute.org/live-data-feed/. To learn more about the Coastal Data Information Program, visit https://cdip.ucsd.edu/.
Feature Image: Satellite imagery of Hurricane Erin off the coast of North Carolina at 8 am on August 21, 2025. (Image by NOAA/GOES)
Based at the Coastal Studies Institute (CSI), the North Carolina Renewable Ocean Energy Program (NCROEP) advances inter-disciplinary marine energy solutions across UNC System partner colleges of engineering at NC State University, UNC Charlotte, and NC A&T University. Click on the links below for more information.
ECU's Integrated Coastal Programs (ECU ICP) is a leader in coastal and marine research, education, and engagement. ECU ICP includes the Coastal Studies Institute, ECU's Department of Coastal Studies, and ECU Diving and Water Safety.
The ECU Outer Banks campus is home to the Coastal Studies Institute.
