Tropical Storm Erin has begun strengthening as it streaks west across the Atlantic and is on track to reach hurricane status as soon as Friday, prompting tropical storm watches in the northern Leeward Islands.

In recent decades, the Atlantic has been warming at record rates, helping hurricanes explode into powerhouses.

Much of North Carolina’s Outer Banks region is under a tropical storm watch with Hurricane Erin expected to skirt the area Wednesday through Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Tropical Storm Erin's path puts some homeowners at heightened risk, as the storm starts building into a hurricane tracked by meteorologists.

On Monday at 10:41 p.m. an updated tropical storm watch was issued by the NWS Newport/Morehead City NC in effect until Tuesday at 6:45 a.m. for Northern Outer Banks.

The NWS Newport/Morehead City NC issued a tropical storm watch at 4:50 p.m. on Monday in effect until Tuesday at 2 a.m. for Hatteras Island.

A hurricane's category only measures wind speed, not how far those winds extend from the center. The size of a storm's wind field is crucial for predicting storm surge and overall reach.

On Monday at 10:41 p.m. the NWS Newport/Morehead City NC released an updated tropical storm watch in effect until Tuesday at 6:45 a.m. for East Carteret.