Hurricane Erin remained a "dangerous" Category 4 hurricane on Monday, as life-threatening surf and rip currents threaten the U.S. eastern seaboard this week.

Hurricane Erin on Monday bulked back up as a major Category 4 storm with an increasing wind field as it moved near the Bahamas. Meanwhile, the National Hurricane Center increased the odds a system

The monster storm intensified to a Category 4 with 140 mph (225 kph) maximum sustained winds early Monday while it started to lash the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeast Bahamas, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Hurricane Erin is a sprawling Category 4 storm churning in the Atlantic Monday after exploding in strength at a historic rate this weekend. The storm’s enormous footprint is becoming the biggest concern.

Local officials say they only order evacuations ahead of hurricanes when it’s necessary to protect the public.

Surfers prayed to the wave gods ahead of the competition and Hurricane Erin listened, as she is primed to send big waves to our coastline.

The hurricane’s behavior in recent days makes it one of the fastest-strengthening Atlantic hurricanes on record.

Hurricane Erin's "effects on the ocean will become increasingly hazardous over the next several days," according to Volusia County government.