Additional strengthening is expected as the storm is forecast to “remain a large and dangerous major hurricane through the middle of this week,” the National Hurricane Center said.

Hurricane Erin on Monday bulked back up as a major Category 4 storm with an increasing wind field as it moved near the Bahamas. Meanwhile, the National Hurricane Center increased the odds a system

Hurricane Erin is a huge Category 4 storm and is expected to both grow larger and stronger today as it moves toward the west-northwest. The center of the storm is expected to remain offshore as it moves between the U.S. and Bermuda.

Hurricane Erin is maintaining its strength as a major hurricane, churning in the Atlantic Ocean and delivering tropical storm force winds to Turks and Caicos and parts of the Bahamas. Erin’s influence will be increasingly felt along the tri-state area’s coastline during the latter half of the week.

Though Hurricane Erin is not forecast to make landfall on the U.S., the storm’s rapid intensification has prompted increased measures in North Carolina.

Local officials say they only order evacuations ahead of hurricanes when it’s necessary to protect the public.

This past weekend, Hurricane Erin went through one of the most rapid intensifications of any Atlantic hurricane on record. Climate change and other factors may make such leaps more common in

Hurricanes are large storms. While a hurricane wouldn’t still be at hurricane strength if it tracked to Michigan, the storm can have a big influence on our weather. In fact, even hurricanes that come nowhere near Michigan will influence our weather.

While the category 4 storm is not expected to make landfall on the U.S. east coast, it will have an impact nonetheless. Dangerous high surf and rip currents are expected from Florida to New England throughout the week.

Hurricane Erin is expected to grow in size and strength as it moves north through the Atlantic this week. Forecasters expect it to pass well offshore of North Carolina on Wednesday and Thursday, but say it likely will cause coastal flooding and erosion, along with dangerous rip currents.