Powerful Hurricane Erin is expected to bring high seas, big rip currents, and rough surf as it moves between the United States and Bermuda.

Lifeguards and fire rescue crews in Hollywood Beach are on alert as red warning flags and safety signs go up, urging visitors to avoid the water altogether.

Erin’s surf and storm surge could cause erosion along sections of the Florida and East Coast and shapes up as potentially worse for North Carolina’s barrier islands, which are under mandatory evacuation orders ahead of the four feet of storm surge and 20-foot offshore waves Erin is expected to bring.

Forecasts nudge Erin's likely path to the west, increasing the risks at U.S. beaches. Tropical storm conditions are expected in North Carolina's Outer Banks starting late Wednesday.

Hurricane watchers are eying systems in the Atlantic basin. One has a medium chance of developing later this week.

Hurricane Erin is expected to run parallel to the Eastern Seaboard, posing threats of life-threatening surf and dangerous rip currents to areas like New Jersey, New York and Long Island throughout the week. Florida’s small businesses are paying the price.