Hurricane Erin is forcing evacuations on North Carolina’s Outer Banks as it threatens to whip up wild waves and tropical force winds.

Tropical Storm and Storm Surge Watches have been issued for portions of North Carolina’s Outer Banks as extremely dangerous Hurricane Erin continues to barrel across the Atlantic as a major Category 4 hurricane.

Most of the tourists have left Ocracoke Island, and the surfers are watching closely as deadly rip currents lurk below the waves.

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 weakened slightly Monday night to a strong Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 125 mph as it churned northwest, bringing dangerous surf and renewed concerns about beach erosion along Florida’s Atlantic coast.