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.

While Erin won't hit the U.S., lifeguards along the East Coast are on alert for dangerous waves and rip currents this week. On Monday and Tuesday, Erin will bring large waves reaching 6 feet to the East Coast.

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,

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

Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 3 hurricane on Sunday, its outer bands lashing the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, as forecasters warned the storm was rapidly growing in size and would gain new strength.