Tropical storm watches expand from the Virginia beaches to Fenwick Island, Delaware, including Ocean City, Maryland.

Beaches along the New Jersey coast and in Delaware were closed Tuesday as the powerful storm churned in the Atlantic. New York City announced its beaches would close on Wednesday and Thursday.

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

Dangerous coastal impacts from Hurricane Erin will peak along the East Coast on Wednesday and Thursday as the storm passes offshore.

Hurricane Erin won't make landfall, but Jersey Shore and Delaware beaches will be affected by its presence offshore.

Officials have ordered evacuations of Hatteras and Ocracoke islands even without a hurricane warning because that tiny ribbon of highway called N.C. 12 will likely be torn up and washed out in several places,

Hurricane Erin is going to be moving north through the Atlantic Ocean. It will have some affect on our next storm system.

When packing for a potential evacuation, experts recommend with an insulated cooler for meds. Use a battery-operated cooler with ice packs when possible.

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