Hurricane Erin has emerged as a formidable storm in the Atlantic, currently categorized as a powerful Category 4 hurricane. The latest update from the National Hurricane Center reveals that Erin is boasting sustained winds of 150 miles per hour, with gusts reported to be as high as 195 mph.

Earlier in the day, the storm briefly escalated to Category 5 status but has since experienced a slight weakening due to fluctuations in atmospheric pressure, measured at 934 millibars—an increase from 913 mb previously. Despite this minor reduction, forecasters remain vigilant as Erin could potentially regain its Category 5 classification later tonight, fueled by the exceptionally warm waters it’s traversing.

As of Saturday evening, Erin is situated approximately 160 miles to the east of Antigua and about 150 miles from Puerto Rico, prompting Tropical Storm Warnings and Watches for various regions, including parts of the northern Caribbean and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

While no portions of the United States are currently under tropical watches or warnings, meteorological models indicate that Erin may make a gradual northward turn early next week, positioning it between Bermuda and the Southeastern U.S. coast by midweek. Meteorologists are closely monitoring not only the storm’s trajectory but also its rapid intensification—a rare occurrence. Erin’s remarkable growth saw it transition from a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 75 mph to a Category 5 model with winds reaching 160 mph within a 24-hour timeframe.

As the sole named storm currently active in the Atlantic, Erin’s presence highlights the impending peak of hurricane season, which traditionally escalates from late August through mid-September. This period typically brings an increased frequency of tropical systems emerging from the coast of West Africa, marking a potentially perilous phase in the storm calendar.

At this moment, South Carolina is not under any watches or warnings, and no landfall is anticipated for the Southeast U.S. Nonetheless, there is an expected rise in rip current risks and rough surf conditions along South Carolina’s beaches next week.

The News 19 Weather Team remains committed to delivering timely updates across all WLTX platforms as conditions develop. For real-time weather alerts and updates, the public is encouraged to download the WLTX app and monitor live storm coverage and forecasts available on WLTX+.

Hurricane Erin 2025: Rapid growth and current status

Which US states are at risk?

The Outer Banks in North Carolina

Long Island, New York

Cape Cod, Massachusetts

The Mid-Atlantic and Northern New England coasts

Impact in the Caribbean

Leeward Islands

US Virgin Islands

Puerto Rico

Hispaniola

Turks

Caicos

Cape Verde

Important safety tips

Stay informed:

Avoid coastal waters:

Know your evacuation route:

Secure your home:

Prepare an emergency kit ready to go:

Avoid flooded roads:

Follow local instructions:

Havana residents face blackouts after hurricane Ian

Hurricane Erin 2025 has moved up the ladder and quickly become a powerful Category 5 storm, marking the first major hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season. It now has sustained winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) and is moving through the northeast Caribbean, creating large ocean waves and heavy rainfall.Hurricane Erin first started as a tropical wave off West Africa, classified as a tropical storm just last week, on August 11, before undergoing explosive intensification. In less than 25 hours, from early August 15 to the morning of August 16, it escalated from a weak hurricane to a Category 5 storm with winds soaring to 160 mph, which is a rare and dangerous speed of strengthening.This makes Erin the earliest Category 5 hurricane ever observed in the open Atlantic and one of the fastest-intensifying storms on record.The storm is currently located to the northeast of Anguilla and Puerto Rico, moving in a west-northwest direction, and is expected to move northward early next week. The storm’s center is projected to remain offshore, avoiding direct landfall on the US mainland.Even if Hurricane Erin 2025 doesn’t make landfall in the United States of America, it still poses significant threats to parts of the East Coast:are especially at risk because of their unique shape, which makes them vulnerable to strong surf, dangerous rip currents, and possible coastal flooding., has a prominent coastline and could experience stronger wave action and storm surge, even if the storm stays offshore., has a jutting shape, making it prone to powerful surf and possible flooding., while less exposed than the areas mentioned above, may still see rising swells and potential flooding.Forecasters have warned that Hurricane Erin’s outer bands could lead to life-threatening surf, rip currents, and possible beach erosion along the entire East Coast, from Florida to Maine, in the coming days.Hurricane Erin 2025 is already affecting several Caribbean islands with heavy rain, flash flooding, landslides, and mudslides, particularly in the, the, andand. Tropical storm watches are in effect in these regions.Emergency actions are already being taken, including the deployment of over 200 FEMA personnel to Puerto Rico, the preparation of shelters, and the closure of ports in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.In, where the storm first formed, intense rainfall has already caused nine deaths and triggered disaster declarations.Residents living in areas at risk should take the following steps to stay safe:Keep track of updates from the National Hurricane Center and local authorities regarding watches, warnings, and evacuation notices.Do not swim or go near the beach. Even without direct landfall, strong swells and rip currents can be very dangerous.Those living in low-lying or flood-prone areas, such as the Outer Banks, should be ready to evacuate quickly and safely.Close windows and doors, and secure any loose outdoor objects that could become airborne in high winds.Include items such as water, non-perishable food, a flashlight, first-aid supplies, medications, and emergency contact information.These roads may have hidden hazards and should not be driven on until officials declare them safe.If local authorities order an evacuation, leave immediately. Do not dismiss the risk based on how far you are from the storm’s predicted path.The rapid intensification of Hurricane Erin 2025 is a testament to the growing concerns about how climate change is affecting the frequency and strength of hurricanes. Warmer ocean temperatures, lower wind shear, and increased moisture in the air have contributed to more frequent and rapidly intensifying storms, making it harder to predict and prepare for these events.However, during these times of natural disasters and uncertainty, prioritize safety measures and stay alert at all times. When you’re at home, make sure to secure your living space, as well as check on your neighbors, especially the vulnerable individuals like the elderly, children, and the disabled. If you’re planning to step out, wait for the official ‘all-clear’ message. At all times, be cautious, avoid downed power lines, report hazards, and follow local instructions.

HAPPY SATURDAY! METEOROLOGIST VICTORIA KOKINOS HERE, BRINGING YOU THE LATEST UPDATE ON HURRICANE ERIN. WE JUST HAD THE 8 A.M. UPDATE COME OUT. IT IS STILL A CATEGORY FOUR STORM. THIS IS A STRONG MAJOR HURRICANE. THE FIRST ONE OF THE ENTIRE SEASON. WE TYPICALLY DON’T SEE MAJOR HURRICANES UNTIL SEPTEMBER, SO THIS IS PRETTY EARLY WINDS DURING THE 550 UPDATE, WHICH WAS A SPECIAL UPDATE FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER, WAS THAT 130MPH WINDS ARE NOW UP T 145MPH. IT CAME UP 15 IN JUST AN HOUR OR SO, SO THIS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OFF TOWARDS THE WEST NORTHWEST AT 20MPH. THIS IS A VERY STRONG HURRICANE AS IT MOVES OVER THESE WARM ATLANTIC WATERS. IT WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. NOW IT IS EXPECTED TO HAVE WINDS UP TO 150MPH BEFORE IT STARTS TO RECURVE TOWARDS THE NORTH. HOWEVER, IF THIS CONTINUES TO INCREASE AT THE PACE THAT IT IS, I WOULDN’T BE SURPRISED IF WE DO SEE A CATEGORY FIVE NOW. ONCE IT DOES BEGIN TO RECURVE, IT IS GOING OVER COOLER WATERS OFF THE EAST COAST AND IT WILL BEGIN TO CURVE. AND THAT KIND OF WEAKENS HURRICANES. SO IT IS EXPECTED TO DOWNGRADE NEAR BERMUDA TOWARDS A CATEGORY TWO STORM WITH WINDS DOWN TO ABOUT 110 MILES AN HOUR. NOW NOTICE HOW FAR OFF OF THE EAST COAST THAT IT IS. WE ARE NOT EXPECTING ANY DIRECT IMPACTS FOR NOW, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS. MODELS ARE NOW IN AGREEMENT THAT THIS WILL RECURVE OUT TO SEA. HOWEVER, ANY SHIFT TO THE WEST, THIS WILL DEFINITELY BRING GREATER IMPACT TO PORTIONS OF NORTH CAROLINA AND COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA RIGHT NOW. IMPACTS THE COASTAL AREAS. IF YOU HAPPEN MAYBE TO GO INTO FOLLY BEACH, TYBEE ISLAND, HILTON HEAD IN THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS, WE WILL DEFINITELY HAVE A HIGH RISK FOR STRONG RIP CURRENTS OVER THE NEXT ABOUT WEEK UNTIL THIS MOVES OUT OF THE AREA. ALSO, THIS WILL BRING WAVE HEIGHTS OF 40FT OR HIGHER TOWARDS THE COAST. THIS IS A PRETTY WIDE STORM THAT IS MOVING NOW. AGAIN, THIS IS BY THURSDAY AT 2 A.M. IT WILL EVENTUALLY MOVE OUT TO SEA. AND OF COURSE WE ARE CONTINUING TO TRACK IT. BUT AGAIN, MODELS ARE NOW, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR SPAGHETTI MODELS ARE IN A BETTER AGREEMENT THAT THIS WILL STAY A GOOD WAYS AWAY FROM THE US COAST, WHICH IS WHAT WE WANT TO SEE. WE’RE NOT EXPECTING ANY DIRECT IMPACTS HERE IN THE UPSTATE OR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. LOCALLY HERE, WEATHER WILL CONTINUE TO WARM UP THIS AFTERNOON, HEADING NEAR ABOUT 90 DEGREES FEEL-LIKE. TEMPERATURES NEAR 98. ANY OUTDOOR PLANS FOR YOUR SATURDAY? STAY HYDRATED, WEAR SUNSCREEN. POP UP SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE BACK. IT’S JUST SUMMERTIME STORMS, AND THAT’S SIMILAR FOR THE MOUNTAINS. IF YOU ARE HEADING OUT TO HIKE, MAYBE THIS AFTERNOON. 40% CHANCE OF STORMS BY ABOUT 2:00 FEEL-LIKE. TEMPERATURES IN THE MOUNTAINS WILL BE IN THE UPPER 80S, AND THEN BY EIGHT WERE CLOUDY AND AT 77. OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, WE’LL CONTINUE TO SEE TEMPERATURES WARM UP. WE ARE ACTUALLY SEEING WELL ABOVE AVERAGE FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. SUNDAY, MONDAY AND TUESDAY LOOK NICE AND DRY, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS. BUT THEN BY WEDNESDAY WE’LL SEE POP UP SHOWERS AND STORMS RETURN ALONG OUR NEXT COLD FRONT THAT WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE AREA AND BRINGS US BACK NEAR THE LOW 80S. SIMILAR FOR THE MOUNTAINS AS WELL. NICE AND DRY. IF YOU’RE HEADING OUT TO CHURCH TOMORROW AND THEN POP UP, SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE BACK FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE WEEK. RAIN CHANCES INCREASE THURSDAY

Advertisement Category 4 Hurricane Erin moves past northern Caribbean islands but not forecast to hit land Editorial Standards ⓘ

Hurricane Erin exploded in strength and became a major storm in Atlantic waters just north of the Caribbean on Saturday, rapidly powering up from a tropical storm in a single day.The first Atlantic hurricane of 2025, Erin reached Category 5 status before weakening somewhat and becoming a Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.Video above: Hurricane Erin intensifiesThe storm’s center was located about 150 miles (235 kilometers) northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and it was heading toward the west at 15 mph (24 kph).While the hurricane’s center was not expected to strike land, it threatened to dump flooding rains on islands in the region.Mike Brennen, director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami, said Erin grew into a “very powerful hurricane,” with its winds gaining 60 mph (96 kph) in about nine hours.The Hurricane Center said Erin should begin to slowly weaken as it increased wind shear. However, forecasters predicted that it will remain a major hurricane until late next week.The storm’s center was forecast to remain at sea, passing north of Puerto Rico, according to the National Hurricane Center.But tropical storm watches were issued for St. Martin, St. Barts and the Turks and Caicos Islands.The Hurricane Center warned that heavy rain in some areas could trigger flash flooding, landslides and mudslides.In San Juan, locals and tourists walked, exercised and shopped as usual Saturday. Restaurants were busy, and despite warnings to avoid beaches, people could be seen in the coastal waters. Parents kept their children from swimming, however.Video below: Hurricane Erin explodes in strengthSarahí Torres and Joanna Cornejo, who were visiting from California for a Bad Bunny concert, said they decided to go to the beach and wade into the water because the skies appeared calm.“The weather looked fine, so we came out,” Torres said.The U.S. government deployed more than 200 employees from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other agencies to Puerto Rico as a precaution. Puerto Rico Housing Secretary Ciary Pérez Peña said 367 shelters were inspected and ready to open if needed.Meanwhile officials in the Bahamas prepared some public shelters as a precaution as they urged people to monitor the hurricane.“These storms are very volatile and can make sudden shifts in movement,” said Aarone Sargent, managing director for the Bahamas’ disaster risk management authority.Though compact, with hurricane-force winds extending 30 miles (45 km) from its center, Erin was expected to double or even triple in size in the coming days.Powerful rip currents could affect the U.S. East Coast from Florida to the mid-Atlantic next week, despite the eye of the storm forecast to remain far offshore, Brennan said.Hurricane specialist and storm surge expert Michael Lowry said Erin gained strength at a pace that was “incredible for any time of year, let alone Aug. 16th.”Lowry said only four other Category 5 hurricanes have been recorded in the Atlantic on or before Aug. 16.The most powerful storms tend to form later in the year, with the hurricane season typically peaking in mid-September.In October 2005, Hurricane Wilma rocketed from a tropical storm to a Category 5 in less than 24 hours, according to National Hurricane Center advisories from that time. Wilma weakened to a Category 3 hurricane before striking Florida. And in October 2007, Hurricane Felix took just over a day to go from a tropical storm to Category 5.Including Erin, there have been 43 hurricanes that have reached Category 5 status on record in the Atlantic, said Dan Pydynowski, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, a private forecasting company.“They’re certainly rare, although this would mark the fourth year in a row that we’ve had one in the Atlantic basin,” Pydynowski said. Conditions needed for hurricanes to reach such strength include very warm ocean water, little to no wind shear and being far from land, he said. Scientists have linked rapid intensification of hurricanes in the Atlantic to climate change. Global warming is causing the atmosphere to hold more water vapor and is spiking ocean temperatures, and warmer waters give hurricanes fuel to unleash more rain and strengthen more quickly.Storms that ramp up so quickly complicate forecasting for meteorologists and make it harder for government agencies to plan for emergencies. Hurricane Erick, a Pacific storm that made landfall June 19 in Oaxaca, Mexico, also strengthened rapidly, doubling in intensity in less than a day.Erin is the fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30 and is expected to be unusually busy. Six to 10 hurricanes are predicted for the season, including three to five reaching major status with winds of more than 110 mph (177 kph). Bynum reported from Savannah. Georgia. Associated Press writers Isabella O’Malley in Philadelphia and Ivelisse Rivera in San Juan contributed.

Hurricane Erin, after strengthening into a Category 5 storm early Saturday, only a day after becoming a hurricane, saw its classification drop to a Category 4 on Saturday night.

NOAA Hurricane Hunters found maximum sustained winds had increased to nearly 160 mph during a pass through the storm just after 11 a.m. Saturday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center. A Category 5 hurricane has maximum sustained wind speeds of 157 mph or higher.

The storm joins last year’s Hurricane Milton as one of the fastest-intensifying Atlantic hurricanes. Like Erin, Milton also went from a Category 1 to a Category 5 storm in around 24 hours before making landfall as a Category 3 in Siesta Key in October.

In the 8 p.m. Saturday advisory, Erin was at 150 mph.

Erin’s arrival earlier in the season makes it unique by comparison. The steep drop in the storm’s central pressure over the last 24 hours makes it the “fastest deepening Atlantic hurricane” before September, beating Hurricane Emily’s 2005 record, according to Sam Lillo, a meteorologist and software engineer for DTN Weather.

Most of Erin’s intensification occurred during a 12- to 15-hour window overnight, according to Dan Pydynowski, a meteorologist at AccuWeather. By 5 p.m. Friday, Erin’s winds had remained only 75 mph.

The hurricane “had all of the ingredients” necessary to rapidly intensify, Pydynowski said.

Erin has continued moving westward into increasingly warm waters and it faces little to no wind shear, which tears apart storms. The dry air that hindered it earlier this week has moved away, and it’s far enough northeast of the Caribbean islands that there are no land masses interfering with its circulation.

As it continues to track to the west, Erin will continue to be in conditions favorable for intensification, including warm ocean waters and low sheer. However, forecasters do expect the storm’s intensity to “level out” soon, according to National Hurricane Center Director Mike Brennan. A secondary eyewall has begun to form, indicating that the intensity will stabilize while the storm grows bigger in size.

“We expect to see Erin peak here in intensity relatively soon,” Brennan said in an update late Saturday morning.

Erin’s center is forecast to move just north of the islands in the far eastern Caribbean, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico into Sunday, the hurricane center said.

The threat to the U.S. East Coast has diminished with each forecast as a sharp turn to the north and eventually northeast is forecast to happen over the next several days, steering Erin well clear of the mainland.

South Florida beachgoers are being warned of life-threatening rip currents that are expected along the coastline early next week, as part of the impacts from Erin.

“While the threat of direct impacts in the Bahamas and along the east coast of the United States appears to be gradually decreasing, there will still be a significant risk of dangerous surf and rip currents along western Atlantic beaches next week,” the hurricane center said.

Several islands along the northeast border of the Caribbean Sea remained under tropical storm watches.

Erin is expected to bring heavy rainfall up to 6 inches through Sunday in areas of the Leeward Islands, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and southern and eastern Puerto Rico, the hurricane center said Thursday afternoon.

The hurricane center’s cone of uncertainty was just north of the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, according to the center’s Saturday morning update. Tropical-storm-force winds could arrive at the island as early as 8 p.m. Saturday. High winds could spur power outages.

As of 8 p.m. Saturday, Erin was 150 miles northeast of Puerto Rico, moving west at 15 mph. Erin’s tropical-storm-force winds extend up to 185 miles from the center while hurricane-force winds extend up to 30 miles.

Forecasters warned that even though tracking models have been consistent, there is room for error.

“Next week, every expectation is that the center of the hurricane will pass between the Carolinas and Bermuda and then arc out to sea,” Fox Weather hurricane specialist Bryan Norcross wrote on his blog, Hurricane Intel. “That’s not 100%, but it’s close.”

Two hurricanes reached Category 5 strength during the 2024 season: Beryl in June, which was the earliest recorded Category 5 hurricane, and Milton in October, which made landfall on Florida’s Gulf coast as a Category 3 storm.

Elsewhere in the tropics

Hours after forecasters began tracking a new system in the western Atlantic Saturday, a westerly moving tropical wave arose off Africa.

Regarding the latter disturbance, the National Hurricane Center said, “An area of low pressure could form over the central tropical Atlantic during the middle to latter portion of next week from a westward moving tropical wave. Some subsequent development could occur as the system moves westward to west-northwestward at around 15 mph.”

It initially has been given a 20% chance of development over the next seven days.

As things pertain to the disturbance in the northwestern Atlantic, the center said an area of showers and thunderstorms off the coast of North Carolina could develop some over the weekend, but conditions are expected to hinder any further development by Monday.

As of 8 p.m., Saturday it has a 10% chance of developing in the next two to seven days.

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Erin has gone through extreme rapid intensification, which is an increase in winds of 58 mph or greater.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hurricane Erin went through extreme rapid intensification over the last 24 hours, making it a Category 5 hurricane with maximum winds of 160 mph. The storm is located 175 miles northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Extreme rapid intensification is a wind increase of 58 mph or greater within one day. Whereas rapid intensification is an increase of 35 mph.

Erin is currently moving northwest and will eventually take a turn to the north, northeast, and eventually out to sea. High pressure is expected to split, turning the storm away from the United States due to changing steering currents.

While Erin will not make a direct landfall in the Carolinas, coastal spots will have indirect impacts.

#Erin remains a major hurricane with maximum winds of 160 mph 🌀

The storm stays out to sea but the coastal Carolinas will see indirect impacts such as a high rip current risk, elevated wave heights and beach erosion. @wcnc pic.twitter.com/RQz01m5Hax — Brittany Van Voorhees (@WeatherBrittany) August 16, 2025

Starting Monday, a moderate rip current risk is in place for both North and South Carolina. Tuesday begins a multiple-day trend of a high or extreme rip current risk, especially in the Outer Banks.

Other than elevated rip currents, areas along the coast will see beach erosion, minor flooding, and higher wave heights. Wave heights are at their highest, especially where the coast juts out, with max out at 10 to 15 feet.