Erin has become the first hurricane of the Atlantic season with strong waves and rip currents possible along the East Coast of the United States as early as next week.

Although the storm is expected to stay offshore, it will produce dangerous surf conditions for much of the Atlantic Coast this week, forecasters say.

"Anyone visiting the beaches should stay out of the surf." East Coast beaches under official swim ban as major warnings increase over Hurricane Erin's climb toward US: 'Life-threatening surf and rip currents' first appeared on The Cool Down.

Hurricane Erin has reintensified into a Category 4 storm on Aug. 18, according to the National Hurricane Center. See where Erin is headed.

Rip currents are the third leading cause of deaths from hurricanes, and they can happen on a sunny day hundreds of miles from the storm.

Life-threatening storm surges and rip currents are forecast for much of the U.S. East Coast as Hurricane Erin takes a path just offshore. Here’s the latest tracking map.

Hurricane Erin could 'at least double or triple in size' next week and the track has shifted south, but remains likely to turn away from the East Coast.

Erin will stay offshore of the United States, but will still bring dangerous currents and tropical storm conditions to some of the Atlantic coast.

For now, most reliable computer models that meteorologists use show Erin curving away from the United States, spinning off the East Coast later in August.