Hurricane Erin intensified into a Category 4 storm Saturday, packing winds of 145 mph as it churned through the Caribbean, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported. The powerful system is currently located 150 miles northeast of Anguilla, moving west-northwest at 20 mph, and is expected to expand in size in the coming days.
Although Erin is not forecast to make landfall, the storm is already bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall to nearby islands. Forecasters warned that the outer bands could trigger flooding, landslides, and mudslides across Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the northern Leeward Islands through Sunday. Tropical storm watches have been issued for St. Martin, St. Barts, and St. Maarten.
The storm is expected to eventually curve northeast, steering away from the continental United States. However, meteorologists cautioned that Bermuda could find itself on the storm’s stronger eastern side. AccuWeather added that exposed coastal regions of the U.S., such as North Carolina’s Outer Banks, Long Island, and Cape Cod, face an elevated risk of tropical storm or hurricane-force conditions, even if the center of Erin remains offshore.
The U.S. government has already deployed over 200 FEMA and federal workers to Puerto Rico, where a flood watch remains in effect through Monday. Officials confirmed that 367 shelters are ready to open if needed, while the U.S. Coast Guard has closed multiple seaports in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands to incoming vessels.
In the Bahamas, disaster management officials announced preparations for public shelters and urged residents to remain vigilant. “These storms are very volatile and can make sudden shifts in movement,” warned Aarone Sargent, the Bahamas’ disaster risk authority director.
Erin is the fifth named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, but the first to strengthen into a hurricane. This year’s season is projected to be more active than usual, with forecasters expecting up to ten hurricanes and as many as five major storms with winds above 110 mph.
