Strong waves are seen at La Pared Beach as Category 4 Hurricane Erin approaches Luquillo, Puerto Rico, on August 16, 2025.
San Juan. Erin strengthened in the Atlantic Ocean north of the Caribbean on Saturday, rapidly expanding from a tropical storm in a single day.
The first Atlantic hurricane of 2025, Erin reached Category 5 strength before weakening slightly to a Category 4 storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
The storm was centered about 150 miles (235 kilometers) northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and moving west at 15 mph (24 kph).
While the compact center of the hurricane was not forecast to make landfall, it threatened to dump heavy rain that could cause flooding on islands in the region.
Mike Brennen, director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami, said Erin had quickly become a “very powerful hurricane,” with winds gaining 60 mph (96 kph) in about nine hours.
The Hurricane Center indicated that Erin should begin to slowly weaken as the storm encounters increased wind shear. However, forecasters predict it will remain a major hurricane through the end of the week.
The center of the storm was forecast to remain out at sea, passing north of Puerto Rico, according to the National Hurricane Center.
But tropical storm watches were issued for St. Maarten, St. Barthelemy, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The Hurricane Center warned that heavy rains in some areas could trigger flash flooding, mudslides, and landslides.
In San Juan, locals and tourists walked, exercised, and shopped as usual Saturday. Restaurants were bustling, and despite warnings to avoid beaches, people could be seen in the water. However, parents kept their children out of the water.
Sarahí Torres and Joanna Cornejo, who were visiting the island from California to attend a Bad Bunny concert, said they decided to go to the beach and get into the water because the sky looked calm.
“The weather looked good, so we went out,” Torres said.
The United States government has mobilized more than 200 employees from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other departments in Puerto Rico as a precaution. Puerto Rico's Housing Secretary, Ciary Pérez Peña, indicated that 367 shelters have been inspected and could be opened if necessary.
Meanwhile, Bahamian authorities indicated that they prepared some public shelters as a precaution while urging the population to monitor the hurricane's path.
“These storms are very volatile and can change their motion suddenly,” said Aarone Sargent, director general of the Bahamas Disaster Risk Management Authority.
Although Erin is compact in size, with hurricane-force winds extending 45 kilometers (30 miles) from its center, it is projected to double or even triple in size in the coming days.
Erin could create powerful rip currents along the U.S. East Coast from Florida to the mid-Atlantic next week, even with its center forecast to remain offshore, Brennen said.
Hurricane specialist and storm surge expert Michael Lowry said Erin gained strength at a rate that was “unbelievable for any time of year, let alone for August 16.”
He said only four other Category 5 hurricanes have been recorded in the Atlantic on or before August 16.
The most powerful storms tend to form later in the year, and hurricane season typically peaks in mid-September.
