Hurricane Erin Weakens to Category 3 After Rapid Intensification in Atlantic

Hurricane Erin, the first major hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, has weakened from its peak Category 5 status to a Category 3 storm, according to the latest reports from the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Erin initially intensified rapidly from a Category 1 to a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane with winds reaching 160 mph but has since decreased in strength, currently sustaining winds near 125 mph while moving west-northwest across the Atlantic.

Erin formed as a tropical storm west of Cabo Verde earlier this month and became the fifth named storm of the season. This year’s hurricane season began in June and is forecasted to be above normal by NOAA, with predictions of 13 to 18 named storms and up to five major hurricanes.

Current Storm Status and Impact

Satellite and radar data from San Juan reveal that Hurricane Erin is undergoing an eyewall replacement cycle, a structural change often coinciding with fluctuations in intensity. The storm still holds a small, defined eye with a closed eyewall surrounded by expanding convective rainbands. Outer rainbands are affecting the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic with gusty winds and heavy rainfall. Life-threatening surf and rip currents are also expected along many Atlantic coastlines, including the Bahamas, Bermuda, and eastern U.S. shores.

Heavy rainfall is anticipated to continue over Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, with risks of flash flooding and mudslides. Tropical storm conditions are expected or possible in the Turks and Caicos Islands and parts of the Bahamas over the next few days as Erin tracks northwest before turning northward.

Forecast and Preparations

Forecasters warn residents along the North Carolina and Mid-Atlantic coasts and Bermuda to monitor the storm closely due to the risk of strong winds and hazardous surf from Erin’s outer rainbands during the middle of the coming week. The storm is expected to steer east of the Turks and Caicos and the southeast Bahamas before potentially affecting U.S. coastal areas.

Erin’s evolution highlights the volatility typical of the Atlantic hurricane season’s peak period from mid-August to mid-October. The storm’s rapid intensification and subsequent weakening demonstrate the complex dynamics of hurricane development and the need for continuous monitoring.

Broader Context

So far in 2025, Tropical Storm Chantal was the only named storm to make U.S. landfall, causing significant flooding in North Carolina earlier this summer. Erin’s progression underscores NOAA’s forecast of an active and above-average hurricane season this year, emphasizing preparedness and vigilance across Atlantic and Gulf coastal regions.