Hurricane Erin has rapidly intensified into a Category 5 storm as it travels north of Puerto Rico on Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said.
The first Atlantic hurricane of the 2025 season, Erin strengthened from a tropical storm to a Category 5 system in a matter of 24 hours. By late Saturday morning, its maximum sustained wind speeds had more than doubled to 160 mph.
Meteorologists expect Erin to veer west-northwest later Saturday and then turn north after the weekend, passing north of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
The storm’s core is projected to remain over open water without making landfall, but its sheer size could still bring heavy rains, flash flooding, and dangerous surf to the Caribbean and U.S. East Coast….