Hurricane Erin is churning up life-threatening rip currents and dangerous surf along much of the US East Coast and will soon send destructive waves and storm surge to North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Meanwhile,

Rough surf conditions and dangerous rip currents have forced many beaches to ban swimming and boogie boarding this week.

The storm has already prompted evacuation orders on North Carolina's Outer Banks and warnings about dangerous rip currents and swells along the East Coast.

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.

Two more tropical systems trail Hurricane Erin, which is following a projected course that brushes past the East Coast without making landfall.

The Ocean City Beach Patrol has closed the ocean to swimming, wading and surfing Tuesday as tropical storm activity off the coast brings dangerous conditions to the resort town.

While forecasters remain confident the center of the storm will remain far offshore, the outer edges are likely to bring damaging tropical-force winds, large swells and life-threatening rip currents.

The storm will remain a major hurricane through the middle of the week, according to the National Hurricane Center.