October nor'easter pummeling Mid-Atlantic coast with high winds and large waves

An October nor'easter churning in the Atlantic Ocean is kicking up gusty winds and large waves on Tuesday along the Mid-Atlantic seaboard.

Large breaking waves were lashing at the pier in Virginia Beach on Tuesday morning and prompting warnings of life-threatening rip currents up and down the coastline.

Sustained northeasterly winds of 25 to 35 mph are buffeting the Mid-Atlantic coast from North Carolina to as far east as Nantucket, Massachusetts, and gusts could reach 50 mph in some parts.

Beach erosion is expected in some coastal communities from North Carolina to New Jersey as ocean levels are forecast to rise 1 to 3 feet above normal during high tide cycles. Some areas could see up to 4 feet of overwash, or seawater moving over dry land.

Coastal flood alerts remain in effect on Tuesday in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina and Delaware, with some advisories in effect through Thursday.

The long-duration storm is expected to stretch into Thursday. The storm is expected to mainly be a wind and wave event, with the bulk of the rain remaining offshore.

Minor to moderate coastal flooding is likely, especially at high tides, in multiple cities including Atlantic City and Virginia Beach.

Wind advisories have also been issued for portions North Carolina, including the Northern Outer Banks, Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island.

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Large breaking waves of 6 to 12 feet are possible for parts of the Outer Banks and along the Delmarva Peninsula from Virginia to Delaware through late early Thursday.

Mandatory evacuation orders remain in effect on Tuesday for Hatteras Island in North Carolina, as deteriorating weather conditions prompted the closure of Highway 12 in the area, according to Dare County, North Carolina, Emergency Management.

The highway was closed around 6 p.m. on Monday after ocean overwash breached the protective dunes and flooded the roadway near the Pea Island Wildlife Refuge Pea Island Visitor Center, according to Dare County officials.

"Although the highway has not sustained pavement damage at the visitor center, crews are working to repair and replace protective sand along the roadway shoulder," the emergency officials said in a statement on Tuesday. "They will then begin rebuilding approximately 1,000 feet of protective dunes that were lost overnight near the visitor center."