Hurricane Erin is forcing evacuations on North Carolina’s Outer Banks as it churns in the Atlantic where high winds and heavy rain are pelting the Turks and Caicos Islands and parts of the Bahamas.

The National Hurricane Center is tracking Tropical Storm Dexter, Invest 96L and system off the southeastern coast of the United States.

Hurricane Erin, the first Atlantic hurricane of the year, is expected to bring life-threatening surf and rip currents to the U.S. eastern coastline, with the Outer Banks region of North Carolina

A tropical wave was forecast to move off the west coast of Africa in the next day or two. Thereafter, some gradual development of the wave is possible during the middle to latter part of next week while it moves generally west-northwestward across the central tropical Atlantic.

Invest 97L is now in the Atlantic joining Invest 96L and NHC forecasters said if development comes it'll be next week.

Hurricane Erin was downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane early Sunday as a tropical storm warning was issued for the Turks and Caicos Islands and winds and heavy rains whipped the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

The National Hurricane Center is monitoring two disturbances in the Atlantic. A third, Tropical Storm Dexter, the fourth named storm of the season, continues to move out to sea. Why it matters: August is usually when hurricane season ramps up,