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.

Hurricane Erin is a sprawling Category 4 storm churning in the Atlantic Monday after exploding in strength at a historic rate this weekend. The storm’s enormous footprint is becoming the biggest concern as it brings heavy rain and gusty winds to islands far from its center and threatens to drive life-threatening rip currents and towering waves toward the eastern US coastline and Bermuda,

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.

Erin is the first hurricane to develop over the Atlantic this year, and meteorologists are closely tracking its path and forecast.