Hurricane Erin strengthened into a Category 2 storm on Friday as it approached the northeast Caribbean, prompting forecasters to warn of possible flooding and landslides.

Erin became a Category 3 hurricane in the Caribbean early Saturday and is expected to strengthen further during the day, the National Hurricane Center reported.

The outer bands of Erin are expected to produce 2 to 4 inches of rainfall and isolated totals of 6 inches across the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico through Aug. 17.