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.

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.

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