The storm has already prompted evacuation orders on North Carolina's Outer Banks and warnings about dangerous rip currents and swells along the East Coast.

Hurricane Erin has been downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane but is gaining in size and raising the risk of life-threatening surf later this week along the U.S.

As millions of people along the East Coast prepare for impacts from Hurricane Erin, coastal communities in New Jersey and Delaware are facing dangerous rip currents and high surf risks.

The storm is not currently forecast to hit land, but its strong winds are impacting nearby islands, prompting warnings of possible flooding and landslides.

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.

As Floridians breathe a collective sign of relief from escaping the worst impacts of Hurricane Erin, there’s one group of people that are particularly thrilled with the exact track of this storm — surfers.

Take a flight with us to see Hurricane Erin through the eyes of NOAA satellites and the Air Force's Hurricane Hunters.

The storm will remain a major hurricane through the middle of the week, according to the National Hurricane Center.