Scientists link the rapid intensification of hurricanes in the Atlantic to climate change, with global warming causing more intense storms.

Erin reached Category 5 status before weakening but has brought significant rain to the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

The first hurricane of 2025 in the Atlantic continued to track north of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on Sunday morning, hitting those islands with heavy rain and gusty winds. Erin is expected to move away from the islands later today and begin to curve more to the north.

It quickly powered up from a tropical storm to a Category 5 in a single day, the National Hurricane Center said.

The first hurricane of the 2025 season intensified into a Category 5 storm Saturday before reverting back to Category 4 status Saturday night. The storm is forecast to turn north just before the

Hurricane Erin remains a major hurricane as of Sunday morning and is expected to turn north off the East Coast this week.

Erin’s sustained winds increased to 70 mph, just 4 mph shy of hurricane strength. The hurricane center said Erin should continue to strengthen through the weekend, when it should be moving near or north of the Leeward Islands, according to the official forecast path.

Hurricane Erin on Saturday morning exploded into a major Category 5 storm with 160 mph sustained winds before weakening back to a strong Category 4 in the evening, according to the National

Hurricane Erin rapidly intensified to a Category 5 storm Saturday, Aug. 16, but winds decreased to 125 mph by Sunday morning, Aug. 17. Erin is still a major Category 3 hurricane and growing in size, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Erin formed in the Atlantic Aug. 15 and rapidly strengthened to a catastrophic Category 5 storm with 160 mph winds on Saturday, Aug. 16, according to the National Hurricane Center. Erin is the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.

Erin, the first hurricane of the season, exploded to a Category 5 hurricane Saturday, and despite fluctuations in intensity, the storm is remaining formidable this weekend. Here's where it could head in the week ahead.