Hurricane Erin strengthens to Category 5
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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.
5 p.m. Update: Erin is now organizing and strengthening over the Central Atlantic. Erin is expected to become at least a Catgory 3 hurricane but missing Puerto Rico to the north and staying well east of Florida. It is expected to reach Jacksonville’s latitude about early Wednesday, resulting in some rough seas and surf at area beaches next week.
Invest 97L, an area of low pressure associated with tropical wave now has a high probability of developing next week.
Erin strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane on Friday morning east of the Caribbean Islands and is expected to keep strengthening through the weekend.
Tropical Storm watches are now in effect for parts of the northern Leeward Islands as Erin is expected to become the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season by Friday, according to forecasters at the National Hurricane Center.