Though Hurricane Erin will not make landfall in the U.S., here's why a Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for parts of North Carolina.

While Erin is expected to take a northward turn in the Atlantic, a new system off the coast of Africa has the National Hurricane Center's attention.

Erin briefly became a Category 5 hurricane over the weekend and weakened to Category 3 status as it moved north and west of Puerto Rico this weekend. It is now a Category 4 storm and will be moving more north in the next few days.

ORLANDO, Fla. — On Wednesday, the Florida east coast is likely to experience a high risk of rip currents as Major Hurricane Erin gets closer. Hurricane Erin, now classified as a major hurricane, is under close observation by Hurricane Hunters. The storm’s wind field has grown to about 400 miles with tropical storm-force winds.

Tropical Storm Erin's path puts some homeowners at heightened risk, as the storm starts building into a hurricane tracked by meteorologists.

Invest 98L, the tropical system that emerged near Mexico early Wednesday, Aug. 13, is tracking toward Texas. Will it impact the state?

The center of Hurricane Erin is expected to remain offshore, but forecasters expect eastern North Carolina to see coastal flooding, tropical-storm-force winds, overwash and beach erosion.

Parts of North Carolina's Outer Banks are under mandatory evacuation orders, as the National Hurricane Center warns that Hurricane Erin could bring tall waves topping 15 to 20 feet.