Hurricane Erin strengthened Monday and was forecast to expand as the powerful Category 4 storm drenched Caribbean islands and threatened dangerous rip currents along the US East Coast.By Tuesday, the entire US East Coast will face a high risk of life-threatening surf and rip currents,

Residents in the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos on Monday braced for the Atlantic season's first hurricane, the Category 4 Erin, after it strengthened over the weekend while sweeping past the Caribbean.

This wave is so new that the hurricane center has yet to dub it an "invest," a technical term that kicks off heightened scrutiny and allows global hurricane models to pick up the system and begin issuing estimated forecast tracks.

Hurricane Erin is likely to restrengthen again as it passes east of the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeast Bahamas on Monday after lashing the Caribbean with damaging winds and flooding rain.

Storms that ramp up so quickly complicate forecasting and make it harder for government agencies to plan for emergencies. Hurricane Erick, a Pacific storm that made landfall June 19 in Oaxaca, Mexico, also strengthened rapidly, doubling in intensity in less than a day.

Cruise ships continue to adjust their itineraries due to the impact of Erin across the Caribbean and Bermuda. As of Monday morning, the storm was making its way through the Atlantic after turning into a Category 4 hurricane.

Hurricane Erin formed early Friday, Aug. 15, marking the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. Here's what to expect in NC.

Get the complete, updated list of confirmed itinerary and port visit changes for ships impacted by Hurricane Erin.

Forecasters said Erin should begin to slowly weaken as it increased wind shear. However, it's predicted to remain a major hurricane until late next week.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Erin strengthened into a powerful Category 4 hurricane in the Caribbean on Saturday and continues to intensify, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm is 150 miles northeast of Anguilla with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph. It is moving west-northwest at 20 mph (31 kph).