The August weather might seem ideal for a beach trip, but Hurricane Erin will bring widespread danger in coming days.

Hurricane Erin became a catastrophic Category 5 storm before noon on Saturday, Aug. 16, according to the National Hurricane Center. A Category 5 hurricane is one with winds of 157 mph or higher. Hurricane Erin's maximum sustained winds are 160 mph.

Erin is setting records as it became the third hurricane to have the most significant pressure drop in history. Maximum sustained winds increased 85 mph in just 24 hours!

Even when they don't brush the coast or make landfall, such storms can be deadly and cause millions of dollars of damage. Erin is expected to remain hundreds of miles offshore, according to the National Hurricane Center,

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.

Anyone who rides out a Cat 5 storm in a high-rise should be prepared for an eyes-wide-open nightmare and an apocalyptic aftermath, one expert warns. The higher up you are, the stronger the winds