Hurricane Erin, the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, has rapidly intensified into a Category 5 storm with maximum sustained winds of 260 km/h and is expected to gain further strength, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Saturday. The storm was about 285 km northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
According to National Hurricane Center Director Mike Brennan, the “extremely powerful” Hurricane Erin had “explosively deepened and intensified” overnight after growing from a tropical strom strength on Friday. Erin went from a Category 1 storm on Friday with a wind speed of 120 km/h to a Category 5 storm with nearly 260 km/h winds in just over 24 hours.
The NHC has forecast that Hurricane Erin would move towards west-northwest on Saturday night and thereafter slow its advance. By Monday, Erin is expected to turn northward. A slow weakening is expected from Monday onwards. However, the NHC had earlier said Hurricane Erin would strengthen into next week.
Category 5 Hurricane #Erin Key Messages for the 5pm advisory on 8/16: A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for the Turks and Caicos Islands. Erin is expected to grow in size. Life-threatening surf and rip currents are expected along U.S. east coast beaches beginning Monday… pic.twitter.com/5F2aJZ6gpt
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 16, 2025
As of now, Hurricane Erin is in the Caribbean Islands and is expected to pass along the north region of Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico this weekend, which could bring up to 15 cm of rain, with a threat of flash flood and mudslides, BBC reported.
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Hurricane Erin, dubbed as the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, is currently not forecast to make landfall in the mainland United States. The NHC has stated that swells created by Erin could affect portions of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
In the next week, Hurricane Erin is expected to move gradually northward, to the east of the Bahamas and towards the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Florida and mid-Atlantic states could witness most dangerous surf conditions. Bermuda could also see “life-threatening” surf conditions and heavy rainfall, Brennan said.
