Hurricane Erin's path will not bring its strongest winds ashore. However, it continues to grow in size, and its impacts from high surf, rip currents and coastal flooding are already increasing along parts of the East Coast.

Meteorologists are closely tracking the projected path and forecast of Hurricane Erin, which is the first hurricane to develop over the Atlantic this year.

On Wednesday, Hurricane Erin was several hundred miles off the coast of Florida and beginning to push storm surge and deadly rip currents toward the shore. Two other systems may form right behind.

Storm surge flooding and tropical storm conditions from Hurricane Erin are forecast for the Outer Banks of North Carolina starting Wednesday evening. At 5 p.

Most of the tourists have left Ocracoke Island, and the surfers are watching closely as deadly rip currents lurk below the waves.

On Monday at 5:10 p.m. the NWS Newport/Morehead City NC issued a tropical cyclone statement in effect until Tuesday at 1:15 a.m. The statement is for East Carteret, Northern Outer Banks, Ocracoke Island and Hatteras Island.