Hurricane Erin was a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph as it made its closest approach to the U.S.

Meteorologists are closely tracking the projected path and forecast of Hurricane Erin, which is the first hurricane to develop over the Atlantic this year.

Outer bands from Hurricane Erin are expected to bring worsening conditions to the coast of North Carolina by this evening, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center. The Category 2 storm is continuing to move north-northwest and the center was located about 444 miles east of Daytona Beach at 8 a.m.

Conditions along the Florida coast are expected to deteriorate Wednesday as Hurricane Erin moves north-northwest off Florida.

Hurricane Erin is tracking northwest between the U.S. East Coast and Bermuda, bringing dangerous surf and life-threatening rip currents to Florida and the Carolinas through midweek.

Hurricane Erin continues to churn in the Atlantic waters hundreds of miles off the U.S., prompting officials to close beaches along the East Coast from the mid-Atlantic to the Northeast.