Hurricane Erin has strengthened into a Category 2 storm as it approaches Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, bringing heavy rains that could cause flooding and landslides.

Hurricane Erin is now a Category 5 storm as it rapidly intensified and threatens the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico, then will move along the U.S. East Coast

Erin, the first hurricane of the season, exploded to a Category 5 hurricane Saturday, and despite fluctuations in intensity, the storm is remaining formidable this weekend. Here's where it could head in the week ahead.

Storms that ramp up so quickly complicate forecasting and make it harder for government agencies to plan for emergencies. Hurricane Erick, a Pacific storm that made landfall June 19 in Oaxaca, Mexico, also strengthened rapidly, doubling in intensity in less than a day.

Hurricane Erin formed early Friday, Aug. 15, marking the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. Here's what to expect in NC.