Erin has intensified to a Category Four Hurricane as it makes its way toward the East Coast of the United States.

Heavy rains were forecast to start late Friday in Antigua and Barbuda, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and southern and eastern Puerto Rico.

Hurricane Erin has rapidly intensified into a category five hurricane, packing maximum sustained winds of 160mph (260km/h). National Hurricane Center Director Mike Brennan told a briefing that the "extremely powerful" storm had "explosively deepened and intensified" overnight after growing from tropical storm strength on Friday.