An eyewall replacement cycle is underway within Hurricane Erin as the monster storm continues to barrel across the Atlantic while bringing gusty winds and rain to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands after rapidly intensifying into a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane over the weekend.

The atmospheric conditions came together in a stunning way yesterday to support Hurricane Erin, suddenly blowing up into a Category 5. It was one of the fastest intensifications ever observed, and the second-lowest pressure ever recorded in an August hurricane after Hurricane Allen in 1980.

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