Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 3 storm in the northeastern Caribbean on Sunday but continued to grow in size, the National Weather Service said.
Erin exploded from a tropical storm into a Category 5 hurricane in just 24 hours from Friday into Saturday — but by Sunday morning its maximum sustained winds were down to about 125 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The storm is expected to remain away from the U.S., carving a northeasterly path between the East Coast and Bermuda. However, the storm could still affect East Coast beaches during the popular summer vacation season.
“Swells will spread to the Bahamas, Bermuda, the east coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada during the early and middle portions of the week,” the NHC warned. “These rough ocean conditions will likely cause life-threatening surf and rip currents.”
On Sunday, Puerto Rico and Turks and Caicos were dealing with the worst of the storm. Erin’s outer bands dumped several inches of rain across Puerto Rico, while Turks and Caicos was under a tropical storm warning.
Meteorologists said Erin would likely fluctuate in strength throughout the week as the storm draws strength from warm ocean waters, then expends energy through enormous wind and waves.
Erin is the first major hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season and one of the earliest Category 5 storms in recorded history. On Saturday, Erin became only the fifth recorded storm to reach Category 5 strength by Aug. 16 or earlier.
With News Wire Services
Originally Published: August 17, 2025 at 1:40 PM EDT
