Strong winds and waves battered Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard and dangerous rip currents threatened from the Carolinas to New England as Hurricane Erin made its way farther out to sea.

Hurricane Erin is bringing dangerous surf and rip currents to Massachusetts, prompting beach closures on the Islands and along the south coast.

The Cape and Islands could see heavy winds hit the region Thursday night and Friday as Hurricane Erin continues to pass north through the Atlantic Ocean.

All south-facing beaches on Nantucket were closed to swimming Tuesday due to high surf from the approaching Hurricane Erin, the island’s harbormaster said.

Strong winds and waves battered Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard and dangerous rip currents threatened from the Carolinas to New England as Hurricane Erin made its way farther out to sea. The storm was forecast to cause possible coastal flooding into the weekend along the East Coast but was also expected to lose strength gradually.

Hurricane Erin's influence may start to diminish on Friday but its effects are still causing disruption to routes.

Approaching Hurricane Erin is impacting some ferry service in Massachusetts and the captain aboard a ferry to Nantucket with WCVB's Emily Mahar aboard warned of a "rocky ride" and "choppy seas."

Hurricane Erin far off the Massachusetts coast will still spark ‘life-threatening swimming and surfing conditions’