Forecasts nudge Erin's likely path to the west, increasing the risks at U.S. beaches. Tropical storm conditions are expected in North Carolina's Outer Banks starting late Wednesday.

Hurricane Erin was a Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds on Monday night as it passed to the east of the Bahamas. The forecast track keeps the center of the storm well away from the U.S. East Coast this week, but tropical storm and storm surge watches have been issued for the North Carolina Outer Banks. National Hurricane Center

Much of the North Carolina coast, including the Outer Banks, is under tropical storm and storm surge warnings as Hurricane Erin churns as a Category 2 storm. The

Meteorologists are monitoring two disturbances behind Hurricane Erin that could strengthen into tropical storms this week.

Erin has weakened to a Category 2 hurricane. Erin is expected to stay at category. Erin has tropical storm force winds stretching out over 200 miles from the center. The entire wind field of Erin stretches over 500 miles.

On Wednesday at 4:57 a.m. the NWS Newport/Morehead City NC issued an updated tropical storm warning in effect until 1 p.m. for Northern Outer Banks.

Erin 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. Here's the latest forecast.

The NWS Wakefield VA issued a tropical storm warning at 5:08 a.m. on Wednesday in effect until 1:15 p.m. for Western Currituck.

Although the storm is expected to stay offshore, it will produce dangerous surf conditions for much of the Atlantic Coast this week, forecasters say.

It's the time of year for Cape Verde hurricanes. The legendary storms, named after islands off Africa’s west coast, can take two weeks to cross the Atlantic.