Erin to bring life-threatening East Coast rip currents
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Hurricane Erin weakens to Category 3
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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, the first major hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, rapidly intensified Friday night, with the storm now reaching Category 5 strength with sustained winds of 160 mph.
Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph as its outer bands pounded the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico with gusty winds and heavy rains early Sunday.
Tropical Storm Erin is likely to become Hurricane Erin shortly. It's now tracking over ocean water that's in the low 80s, and the dry and dusty air that has had a stranglehold on the circulation is dissipating.