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

(WSET) — ABC13 has received many questions about what we can expect from Hurricane Erin across Central Virginia. Hurricane Erin reached Category 5 status over the weekend and remains a major storm. On Thursday, Erin will pass between the North Carolina coast and Bermuda, and the center of Erin will stay more than 300 miles away from the ABC13 area.

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 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.

Hurricane Erin exploded in strength to a Category 5 storm in the Caribbean before weakening on Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said.

While Erin is expected to take a northward turn in the Atlantic, a new system off the coast of Africa has the National Hurricane Center's attention.