Hurricane Erin’s intensification was extraordinary, with an 85 mph jump in just 24 hours. That makes it one of the fastest Category 1 to Category 5 transitions ever recorded in the Atlantic. It even slightly surpassed Hurricane Lee’s 2023 leap of about 80 mph in 24 hours, placing Erin in rare company.

Over the weekend, northern portions of the Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico are expected to receive tropical rain ranging from 2 to 4 inches, with isolated totals up to 6 inches. Flash flooding, landslides and mudslides will be the main concerns over the next several days.

Hurricane Erin raced from a Category 1 to a Category 5 storm. If Erin keeps ramping up, is there a Category 6?

The Atlantic basin includes the northern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of America, as the Gulf of Mexico is now known in the U.S. per an order from President Trump. NOAA and the National Hurricane Center are now using Gulf of America on its maps and in its advisories.

Hurricane Erin poses no threat to the Suncoast or western Florida.

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