HURRICANE Erin has ramped up to a catastrophic category 5 – with ferocious winds as fast as 160mph reportedly barreling towards the Caribbean.
The terrifying storm had become “extremely powerful” and “explosively deepened and intensified” over Friday night, weather authorities said.
Erin is set to pass north of the Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico over the weekend, bringing up to 15cm of rain.
The growing storm is currently about 170 km north of Anguilla, and is expected to swell to up to triple its current size.
Flash flooding and mudslides could also hit the region as part of the devastating storms.
Director of the National Hurricane Center Mike Brennan said the storm would whip up life-threatening surf and rip currents up almost all of the “entire east coast” of the US next week.
He said from Miami: “We expect to see Erin peak here in intensity relatively soon.”
But the ravaging storm, which is the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, is not expected to make landfall on the US mainland.
Erin has gone through rapid intensification, stunning local authorities.
It strengthened by at least 60mph in the last day.
Its winds had shot up from 100mph in early in the hours of Saturday morning to 160mph, Brennan said.
Rapid intensification occurs when a storm strengthens by at least least 34mph in 24 hours.
As of Saturday morning, the size of Erin’s eye was recorded as at least 11km-wide in diameter.
Erin is forecast to move slowly north, past the Bahamas and towards the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Florida and the mid-Atlantic states are set to be hit by the most dangerous surf conditions, Brennan added.
The director also told how Bermuda could also face “life-threatening” conditions and heavy rainfall.
Due to gale force winds, the US Coast Guard is putting in place restrictions for vessels at ports on the St Thomas and St John in the US Virgin Islands.
The restrictions will also be imposed in six municipalities in Puerto Rico, including San Juan.
By next week, Erin is expected to have doubled or tripled in size.
Although compact in size, its hurricane-force winds have extended 45km from its center.
The storm will result in extremely rough conditions in the Western Atlantic.
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