Erin is the fifth named storm to develop during the Atlantic hurricane season, which started just over two months ago. Last week, Tropical Storm Dexter formed in the western Atlantic but didn't pose a threat to land. In early July, Tropical Storm Chantal made landfall on the Carolina coast, bringing deadly flooding to the region.

Hurricane Erin has battered North Carolina's Outer Banks with strong winds and waves that flooded part of the main highway and surged under beachfront homes.

With thousands of miles of ocean water above the 80-degree Fahrenheit temperature needed to fuel hurricanes, Cape Verde storms are some of the most dangerous that threaten North America. About 85% of all major hurricanes — Category 3 and higher — start out there, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The National Hurricane Center is tracking two tropical waves in the eastern and central Atlantic Ocean, far from the U.S. coast.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A tropical storm formed out in the Atlantic Ocean over the weekend. While it may result in some rough surf, the storm will not set a course for the U.S., according to AccuWeather.

Forecasters are tracking two tropical disturbances behind Hurricane Erin, but neither shows signs of becoming an immediate threat to land. One system east of the Lesser Antilles has only a medium chance of development,

The Ocean City Beach Patrol has closed the ocean to swimming, wading and surfing Tuesday as tropical storm activity off the coast brings dangerous conditions to the resort town.

A new system has emerged in the eastern tropical Atlantic, heading westward toward the Leeward Islands as Hurricane Erin continues to spin.