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.

On Monday at 5:10 p.m. the NWS Newport/Morehead City NC issued a tropical cyclone statement in effect until Tuesday at 1:15 a.m. The statement is for East Carteret, Northern Outer Banks, Ocracoke Island and Hatteras Island.

Hurricane Erin pelted parts of the Caribbean and was forecast to create dangerous surf and rip currents along the U.S. East Coast this week.

Mandatory evacuation orders for Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island have been issued due to possible impacts from Hurricane Erin and will start to go into effect Monday.

See the historic Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the tallest lighthouse in the U.S. Plan your visit for the fall, when the temperatures are still mild and the summer tourists have left. “There are things we just don't have here,