the Atlantic coasts of the US and Canada. Early on Friday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) stressed that conditions still posed a threat to life - even as the storm continued to drift away from North America. The first hurricane of the Atlantic season is weakening and will soon lose its status, before bringing rain to the UK next week. In the meantime, a storm surge up to a metre (3ft) in height is possible in US states such as Rhode Island and Virginia, as well as Canada's Atlantic coast.

The latest measurement suggests maximum sustained winds are near 90mph (150km/h). The NHC continues to warn that Erin is "very large", meaning that hurricane-force winds extend outwards from the centre as far as 125 miles (205km). As a result, Erin has brought stormy conditions up and down the US east coast, causing beach and road closures despite not making landfall at any point. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy made his emergency declaration on Thursday afternoon - citing high winds, large waves and flooding expected to strike parts of the state. (BBC)