Hurricane Erin's outer bands were beginning to lash the southeast Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands early Monday after regaining Category 4 strength overnight.

Hurricane Erin is moving closer to the Eastern seaboard, bringing dangerous rip currents and flood risks that have prompted evacuation orders and states of emergency in two North Carolina counties.

"Erin's already large size and intensity are acting like a giant plunger on the sea surface," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said in a report.