Early Monday, the storm strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane, packing maximum sustained winds of 130 mph as it approached the southeastern Bahamas, the NHC reported.

Brief: Tropical Storm Erin is likely to become a hurricane in the next 48 hours, according to the National Hurricane Center on Aug. 12.

The likely path of a disturbance, increasingly expected to develop into a cyclone, has encroached on Texas in recent days, National Hurricane Center (NHC) tracker maps show. Officials have warned that the disturbance presents the threat of heavy rain, flooding, and increased rip currents along portions of Texas' coastline.

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.

Life-threatening waves and rip currents are expected along the East Coast this week, with Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks under an evacuation order.

While a Gulf disturbance that moved into Texas on Friday seems to have run its course, Hurricane Erin in the western Atlantic intensifies.

Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 3 hurricane on Sunday, its outer bands lashing the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, as forecasters warned the storm was rapidly growing in size and would gain new strength.