Erin has reached hurricane strength and is expected to gain power as it churns across a warm stretch of the Atlantic Ocean this weekend.

Over the weekend, Erin is expected to rapidly intensify all the way to a Category 3 hurricane. By Monday, as the storm steers away from the Caribbean and toward Bermuda, it's now forecast to hit Category 4 with 130 mph sustained winds. Some long-term computer models suggest it could get even stronger and hit Category 5 in the open ocean.

Forecasters say Hurricane Erin has formed in the Atlantic Ocean on track to bring heavy rains that could lead to flooding and landslides in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.