Hurricane Erin rapidly strengthened into a Category 5 storm. It is not expected to make a direct hit on the U.S. but will create dangerous surf.

Hurricane Erin could 'at least double or triple in size' next week and the track has shifted south, but remains likely to turn away from the East Coast.

The storm is not currently forecast to hit land, but its strong winds are impacting nearby islands, prompting warnings of possible flooding and landslides.

Erin developed in the eastern Atlantic, moving westward from the Cabo Verde Islands at about 20 mph (32 km/h). Infrared sensors on NOAA's GOES-19 satellite reveal colder cloud tops and deep convection near the center — signs of a strengthening system feeding on warm ocean waters.

"Erin will be a large and powerful hurricane over the southwestern Atlantic Ocean this weekend," the National Hurricane Center said.

Hurricane Erin formed Friday in the Atlantic Ocean on track to bring heavy rains that could lead to flooding and landslides in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, forecasters said.

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.