Hurricane Erin is a sprawling Category 4 storm churning in the Atlantic Monday after exploding in strength at a historic rate this weekend. The storm’s enormous footprint is becoming the biggest concern as it brings heavy rain and gusty winds to islands far from its center and threatens to drive life-threatening rip currents and towering waves toward the eastern US coastline and Bermuda,

Life-threatening waves and rip currents are expected along the East Coast this week, with Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks under an evacuation order.

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