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.

Hurricane Erin strengthened 85 mph in 24 hours to a 160 mph Category 5 hurricane putting in fourth place for rapidly intensifying storms.

Hurricane Erin chugged slowly toward the eastern U.S. coast Tuesday, stirring up treacherous waves that already have forced dozens of beach rescues days before the biggest storm surges are expected. While forecasters remain confident the center of the monster storm will remain far offshore,

Holly Andrzejewski hadn’t yet welcomed her and her family’s first guests to the Atlantic Inn on Hatteras Island when she had to start rescheduling them, as Hurricane Erin neared North Carolina’s Outer Banks on Tuesday and threatened to whip up wild waves and tropical force winds.

As of Monday morning, Hurricane Erin is a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph. The storm has weakened slightly after hitting Category 5 strength over the weekend. Erin is the first hurricane to form during the Atlantic hurricane season,

Hurricane Erin is forcing evacuations on North Carolina’s Outer Banks as it threatens to whip up wild waves and tropical force winds. Forecasters say the monster storm will turn away from

"Heavy rainfall is possible on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, with potential for a maximum of 4 inches," NHC said Tuesday.

Hurricane Erin is forecast to "substantially grow in size" as it moves across the western Atlantic, according to the National Hurricane Center.