Hurricane Erin forced tourists to cut their vacations short on North Carolina’s Outer Banks even though the monster storm is expected to stay offshore after lashing part of the Caribbean with rain and wind on Monday.

The outer bands of powerful Hurricane Erin lashed Puerto Rico, and the storm is approaching the Bahamas next. What can the mainland U.S. expect?

The storm will remain a major hurricane through the middle of the week, according to the National Hurricane Center.

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

Tropical Storm Erin is approaching Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, bringing heavy rains that could cause flooding and landslides

Hurricane Erin was expected to soak the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico with heavy rain through the weekend before heading north up the Atlantic.

Tropical Storm Erin is still moving quickly westward and is forecast to become a hurricane in a few days over the central tropical Atlantic, the NHC said.

The peak intensity is now expected at a strong Cat 3 with winds of 125 mph. The storm will miss a direct hit to the Windward Islands, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola. Once the system is north of Puerto Rico,