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.

MIAMI (AP) — A stronger and bigger Hurricane Erin pelted parts of the Caribbean and was forecast to create dangerous surf and rip currents along the U.S. East Coast this week.

Much of North Carolina’s Outer Banks region is under a tropical storm watch with Hurricane Erin expected to skirt the area Wednesday through Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

On Monday at 10:41 p.m. an updated tropical storm watch was issued by the NWS Newport/Morehead City NC in effect until Tuesday at 6:45 a.m. for Northern Outer Banks.

A tropical wave producing showers and thunderstorms is headed west-northwest across the tropical Atlantic. The system, which is currently moving along the eastern Atlantic, is expected to approach the Leeward Islands by the end of the week and could develop into a tropical cyclone.

An Atlantic disturbance now has a 50 percent chance of cyclone formation, according to the National Hurricane Center.

On Monday at 10:41 p.m. the NWS Newport/Morehead City NC released an updated tropical storm watch in effect until Tuesday at 6:45 a.m. for East Carteret.

A tropical disturbance along the Gulf could develop into a depression before moving into South Texas and northeastern Mexico Friday evening. Any development into a depression would likely be "short-lived," the National Weather Service said.