Weather experts on the Leeward Islands, including Puerto Rico, are keeping close watch as Erin lurches toward the Caribbean and is on track to become a major hurricane.

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?

Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph as its outer bands pounded the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico with gusty winds and heavy rains early Sunday.