Hurricane Erin will be hundreds of miles from the Massachusetts coast, but it could still cause problems at beaches.

Gov. Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency as Hurricane Erin, while staying hundreds of miles off the Jersey Shore, brings rough surf, windy conditions and the potential for widespread coastal flooding to the region.

Hurricane Erin was the fifth named storm of the season. As of Thursday afternoon, the storm is still a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained wind speeds of 100 mph. Its path is taking it away from the U.S., after, for the past few days, the storm has skirted the East Coast and caused dangerous waves and life-threatening rip currents.

Hurricane Erin, far enough away from the East Coast yet close enough to show its impact along the shoreline, is pounding New England’s southern coastline with huge, crashing waves of up to 20 feet, prompting high surf and flooding advisories.

Hurricane Erin is expected to bring large waves, rough surf and life-threatening rip currents from Florida to Canada