Erin becomes a Category 3 hurricane in the Caribbean and is expected to
strengthen further
[August 16, 2025]
By DÁNICA COTO
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Erin became a Category 3 hurricane in the
Caribbean early Saturday and is expected to strengthen further during
the day, the National Hurricane Center reported.
The storm is currently 170 miles (275 kilometers) northeast of Anguilla
with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph). It is moving
west-northwest at 20 mph (31 kph).
It is currently not forecast to hit land, but strong winds are affecting
nearby islands, prompting forecasters to warn of possible flooding and
landslides.. The NHC said it currently expected Erin to become a
Category 4 storm later Saturday but to eventually swerve away from the
continental United States.
Tropical storm watches are in place for St. Martin and St. Barthelemy
and Sint Maarten. Up to 4 inches (10 centimeters) are expected, with
isolated totals of up to 6 inches (15 centimeters), according to the
National Hurricane Center in Miami.
“Locally, considerable flash and urban flooding, along with landslides
or mudslides, are possible,” the NHC said.
Hurricane specialist and storm surge expert Michael Lowry said Erin is
forecast to eventually take a sharp turn northeast that would put it on
a path between the U.S. and Bermuda.
“All of our best consensus aids show Erin turning safely east of the
United States next week, but it’ll be a much closer call for Bermuda,
which could land on the stronger eastern side of Erin,” he said.
Erin is the fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which
runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, but the first to reach hurricane status.
“Erin is forecast to explode into a powerful Category 4 hurricane as it
moves across very warm waters in the open Atlantic. Water temperatures
at the surface and hundreds of feet deep are several degrees higher than
the historical average,” said Alex DaSilva, Accuweather’s lead hurricane
expert.
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This satellite image provided by NOAA shows Hurricane Erin on
Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. (NOAA via AP)
This year’s season is once again expected to be unusually busy. The
forecast calls for six to 10 hurricanes, with three to five reaching
major status with winds of more than 110 mph (177 kph).
The U.S. government has deployed more than 200 employees from the
Federal Emergency Management Agency and other agencies to Puerto
Rico as a precaution as forecasters issued a flood watch for the
entire U.S. territory from late Friday into Monday.
Puerto Rico Housing Secretary Ciary Pérez Peña said 367 shelters
have been inspected and could be opened if needed.
The U.S. Coast Guard said Friday that it closed six seaports in
Puerto Rico and two in the U.S. Virgin Islands to all incoming
vessels unless they had received prior authorization.
Meanwhile, officials in the Bahamas said they prepared some public
shelters as a precaution as they urged people to track the
hurricane.
“These storms are very volatile and can make sudden shifts in
movement,” said Aarone Sargent, managing director for the Bahamas’
disaster risk management authority.
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