Hurricane Erin strengthened into a powerful Category 4 storm Saturday in the Caribbean, where it threatened to dump flooding

Hurricane Erin rapidly intensified into a Category 4 storm in the Caribbean, earlier than forecasters had predicted.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Erin strengthened into a powerful Category 4 hurricane in the Caribbean on Saturday and continues to intensify, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm is 150 miles northeast of Anguilla with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph. It is moving west-northwest at 20 mph (31 kph).

Erin has strengthened into a hurricane as it approaches Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, bringing heavy rains that could cause flooding and landslides.

Erin became the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season as it heads toward the Northern Leeward Islands and later Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Hurricane Erin was expected to soak the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico with heavy rain through the weekend before heading north up the Atlantic.

Hurricane Erin became the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season on Friday, with sustained winds of 75 mph as it moves toward the Leeward Islands.

Officials in the northern Caribbean are warning of heavy rains and dangerous swells as Tropical Storm Erin approaches the region

Because Erin is one week away, meteorologists in Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast will be watching the storm closely, as any deviation east or west could lead to significant impacts. While Erin isn’t expected to directly impact the U.S., the storm is forecast to bring dangerous rip currents to the East Coast from about Aug. 21 to Aug. 27.

As of Saturday morning, Hurricane Erin had strengthened into a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of up to 130 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.

Erin became a hurricane late Friday morning and a Cat 4 storm over the weekend. Invest 98L could become a short-lived tropical depression before moving inland over northeastern Mexico or southern Texas later today.