Hurricane Erin Menaces Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands

Hurricane Erin, escalating into a Category 2 storm, is bearing down on the northeast Caribbean, prompting urgent warnings of heavy rains, potential flooding, and landslides across Puerto Rico, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, and nearby islands. The National Hurricane Center in Miami forecasts up to 4 inches of rain, with isolated areas possibly seeing 6 inches, starting late Friday in regions including Antigua, Barbuda, and southern and eastern Puerto Rico.

Located 405 kilometers northeast of Anguilla as of Friday’s 11 p.m. EDT advisory, Erin boasts maximum sustained winds of 160 kph and is moving west-northwest at 27 kph. Forecasters predict it will strengthen into a major Category 3 storm by late weekend, potentially reaching Category 4 as it traverses unusually warm Atlantic waters. “Water temperatures are several degrees higher than historical averages, fueling Erin’s rapid intensification,” said Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather’s lead hurricane expert.

While the storm is expected to stay over open waters, tropical storm watches are in effect for Anguilla, Barbuda, St. Martin, St. Barts, Saba, St. Eustatius, and St. Maarten. The hurricane center warns of dangerous swells, with waves up to 15 feet along the U.S. East Coast, particularly North Carolina, potentially causing beach erosion next week. However, the risk of direct impacts on the Bahamas and U.S. mainland is decreasing, with Erin forecast to veer northeast between the U.S. and Bermuda. “It’ll be a closer call for Bermuda, which could face Erin’s stronger eastern side,” noted hurricane specialist Michael Lowry.

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In preparation, the U.S. government has deployed over 200 Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel to Puerto Rico, with a flood watch issued for the territory through Monday. Puerto Rico Housing Secretary Ciary Pérez Peña confirmed 367 shelters are ready to open if needed. The U.S. Coast Guard has closed six Puerto Rican and two U.S. Virgin Islands seaports to incoming vessels without prior authorization. In the Bahamas, officials have prepared public shelters and urged residents to monitor the storm’s volatile path, as emphasized by Aarone Sargent of the Bahamas’ disaster risk management authority.

Erin, the fifth named storm and first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, underscores forecasts of an unusually active season, with six to ten hurricanes expected, three to five reaching major status with winds exceeding 177 kph. As communities brace for impact, authorities stress vigilance given the storm’s potential for sudden shifts.

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