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.

Hurricane Erin, now a powerful Category 4 storm churning in the Caribbean, is not forecast to hit land, but it will bring large waves and dangerous rip currents to the U.S. East Coast. Here's the latest forecast:

Erin isn't as intense as it once was. But its large size is what matters most. While it won't landfall, it will bring high surf and rip currents to much of the East Coast. And it could bring damaging surge flooding for some.