Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph while its outer bands pounded the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico with gusty winds and heavy rains early Sunday.

Erin is the first hurricane to develop over the Atlantic this year, and meteorologists are closely tracking its path and forecast.

Powerful Hurricane Erin has undergone a period of astonishingly rapid intensification — a phenomenon that has become far more common in recent years as the planet warms. It was a rare Category 5 for a time Saturday before becoming a Category 4,

With the perfect conditions for rapid intensification, Hurricane Erin became a Category 5 storm overnight, triggering warnings of potential flooding and landslides in northern Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands,

Over the weekend, northern portions of the Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico are expected to receive tropical rain ranging from 2 to 4 inches, with isolated totals up to 6 inches. Flash flooding, landslides and mudslides will be the main concerns over the next several days.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Erin has officially become a hurricane, the first of this season, as it continues its journey across the Atlantic. The storm officially transitioned to a hurricane late Friday morning, with maximum sustained winds of 75 miles an hour, making it a Category 1 hurricane.

Hurricane Erin 2025 rapidly intensified into a Category 5 storm over the Atlantic before weakening slightly. While not expected to make US landfall, it threatens the East Coast with dangerous surf and rip currents.