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.

Hurricane Erin brings swells to Florida. It's ideal for surfing but dangerous for beachgoers who see blue skies, but don't realize the dangers.

Forecasters are confident it will curl north and away from the eastern U.S., but tropical storm and surge watches were issued for much of North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

Storms that ramp up so quickly complicate forecasting and make it harder for government agencies to plan for emergencies. Hurricane Erick, a Pacific storm that made landfall June 19 in Oaxaca, Mexico, also strengthened rapidly, doubling in intensity in less than a day.

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

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,

As Hurricane Erin churns in the Atlantic Ocean east of Florida, its effects are being felt along Florida's coast.

Rough surf and strong winds from Hurricane Erin​ are battering beaches, and the storm is expected to cause major erosion.