Climate change intensifies hurricanes by increasing their strength, rainfall, and storm surge, as well as potentially altering their paths.

Hurricane season is here, and meteorologists are losing a vital tool for forecasting them, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.

Hurricane Erin forced tourists to cut their vacations short on North Carolina’s Outer Banks even though the monster storm is expected to stay offshore after lashing part of the Caribbean with rain and wind on Monday.

Although the storm is expected to stay offshore, it will produce dangerous surf conditions for much of the Atlantic Coast this week, forecasters say.

"The Tropics are heating up with 3 systems that we are monitoring," the agency warned, as it shared a map of the weather patterns sparking concern out at sea.

Hurricane Erin is forcing evacuations on North Carolina’s Outer Banks as it threatens to whip up wild waves and tropical force winds.