Hurricane Erin lashes Bahamas and Turks and Caicos with winds, rain, and flooding as forecasters track a new Atlantic tropical threat.

Tropical Storm Watches and Warnings have been issued for parts of North Carolina and Virginia Beach and up to Chincoteague.

As hurricane Erin creeps closer along the coast and brings ocean waves, first responders are sounding the alarm for everyone to stay out of the water.

The first area has been under the eyes of the National Hurricane Center for a few days as it emerged off Africa’s west coast.

With thousands of miles of ocean water above the 80-degree Fahrenheit (27-degree Celsius) temperature needed to fuel hurricanes, Cape Verde storms are some of the most dangerous that threaten North America. About 85% of all major hurricanes — Category 3 and higher — start out there, according to the National Hurricane Center.

"Erin will be a large and powerful hurricane over the southwestern Atlantic Ocean this weekend," the National Hurricane Center said.

Hurricane Erin has downgraded to a Category 3 storm as of Monday as it continues to churn in the Atlantic Ocean. Erin is now packing sustained winds of 120 miles per hour as it moves north of the Caribbean,

Conditions along the coast are expected to deteriorate Wednesday as Hurricane Erin moves north-northwest off Florida.

Meteorologists are closely tracking the projected path and forecast of Hurricane Erin, which is the first hurricane to develop over the Atlantic this year.