Erin is now a Category 3 hurricane with outer rainbands producing gusty winds and heavy rains across the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

While Erin is expected to take a northward turn in the Atlantic, a new system off the coast of Africa has the National Hurricane Center's attention.

Offshore Hurricane Erin was downgraded to a Category 3 storm early Sunday, as rain lashed Caribbean islands and weather officials warned of possible flash floods and landslides.It also warned of "locally considerable flash and urban flooding,

PM

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

The federal government has sent more than 200 workers from FEMA and other agencies to Puerto Rico as a precautionary measure.

It quickly powered up from a tropical storm to a Category 5 in a single day, the National Hurricane Center said.

Erin, the first hurricane of the season, is now forecast to become a Category 4 by Sunday. Here's where it could head in the week ahead.