Hurricane Erin, the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, has strengthened into a catastrophic Category 5 storm, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC). The agency issued its latest update on Saturday as the hurricane continued to threaten parts of the Caribbean.
Hurricane Erin Forecast Path
The NHC said Erin is forecast to turn west-northwest on Saturday night and slow its forward movement before veering northward early next week.
Category 5 Hurricane #Erin Key Messages for the 5pm advisory on 8/16: A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for the Turks and Caicos Islands. Erin is expected to grow in size. Life-threatening surf and rip currents are expected along U.S. east coast beaches beginning Monday… pic.twitter.com/5F2aJZ6gpt
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 16, 2025
“A slow weakening is expected to begin on Monday,” the agency added. Previously, the NHC had predicted Erin would continue to intensify into the following week.
The hurricane’s center is projected to pass north of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico through Sunday. It is expected to move east of the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas on Sunday night and Monday.
Coastal Impacts and Swells Of Hurricane Erin
Swells from Erin are expected to hit parts of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, and Turks and Caicos Islands through the weekend, the NHC added. Swells are predicted to reach the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the U.S. East Coast by early next week.
The Bahamas, which offers some meteorological assistance to the Turks and Caicos Islands, issued a Tropical Storm Watch for the British islands to its southeast.
What Experts Are Saying About Hurricane Erin
Meteorologists also pointed out possible wildfire threats if human-induced sparks set dry material ablaze, which can be exacerbated by hot, gusty winds.
Andrew Siffert, Senior Meteorologist at BMS Group, told Rueters, “these conditions could arise if Erin grows into a powerful offshore storm fueled by colliding warm and cold air rather than tropical seas.”
Twelve Securis, an insurance-linked securities manager, noted on Friday that Erin was expected to remain far enough offshore to avoid significant impacts on the U.S. East Coast.
Erin is expected to bring heavy rainfall through Sunday across the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, according to the NHC, raising concerns about flooding and other storm-related hazards in the region.
Also Read: Erin Becomes the Atlantic’s First Hurricane Of The Season – All You Need to Know
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
