Hurricane Erin Weakens but Still Threatens Puerto Rico and Leeward Islands

Hurricane Erin, which briefly reached the rare status of a Category 5 storm over the weekend, has weakened slightly but remains a powerful hurricane as it tracks close to Puerto Rico and the Leeward Islands.

Erin’s Rapid Rise

According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Erin strengthened from a tropical storm into a hurricane late Friday morning, quickly intensifying into the first major hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season. By Saturday, it had exploded into a Category 5 system with maximum sustained winds near 160 mph.

As of Sunday morning, Erin has slipped to Category 3 strength, packing sustained winds near 125 mph. Forecasters caution that the system could regain some strength and potentially reach Category 4 before the end of the weekend.

Impacts on the Northern Caribbean