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.

Hurricane Erin further weakened to a Category 3 storm early Sunday morning as it churned over the Atlantic Ocean north of the Caribbean. Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center in Miami later said the storm is "likely to strengthen again.

Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 3 hurricane Sunday as its outer bands continued to lash the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico with heavy rains and tropical-storm force winds.