Erin batters Northern Caribbean but expected to stay offshore

Hurricane Erin rapidly intensified into a major storm over the Atlantic north of the Caribbean on Saturday, strengthening from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in just one day before slightly weakening to a Category 4, according to the National Hurricane Center.

With sustained winds of 140 mph (220 kph), Erin became the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season. Though the storm's core was about 145 miles (230 km) north-northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, its outer bands brought heavy rain and strong winds to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands Saturday night.

Despite the intensity, Erin is not expected to make landfall. Still, forecasters warned that its proximity could trigger flash floods, mudslides, and landslides in affected areas. The storm was moving west-northwest at 14 mph (22 kph).

Hurricane Center Director Mike Brennen described Erin as an extremely powerful storm that gained 60 mph (96 kph) in wind speed in just nine hours. The storm is projected to maintain major hurricane strength into the coming week.

Tropical storm watches were issued for St. Martin, St. Barts, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. In Puerto Rico, the National Weather Service warned of winds up to 50 mph (80 kph), leading to power outages affecting around 130,000 people.

Despite the warnings, life in San Juan largely continued as usual earlier in the day, with locals and tourists visiting shops and beaches. Two visitors from California, in town for a Bad Bunny concert, said they went to the beach because the weather looked calm.

In preparation, over 200 federal workers from FEMA and other agencies were deployed to the island, and Puerto Rico officials reported that 367 shelters were ready if needed. Authorities in the Bahamas also began preparations, advising residents to monitor the storm.

Although Erin’s center is expected to stay far offshore, dangerous rip currents may impact the U.S. East Coast from Florida to the mid-Atlantic in the coming days.

Experts were stunned by Erin’s rapid intensification, with meteorologist Michael Lowry calling the pace “incredible” for mid-August. Only four other Category 5 hurricanes have been recorded in the Atlantic before August 16.

Historically, the most intense storms develop later in the season, which peaks in mid-September. Erin is the fifth named storm of the 2025 season, which is forecast to be highly active, with up to 10 hurricanes and as many as five major storms predicted.

Scientists say that warmer ocean temperatures driven by climate change are fueling faster storm intensification. This trend complicates emergency response efforts, as storms can become dangerous in a matter of hours — as seen recently with Hurricane Erick, which doubled in strength before striking Mexico in June.

Including Erin, only 43 hurricanes have reached Category 5 status in Atlantic history. This marks the fourth consecutive year with such a storm in the region, according to AccuWeather.