Hurricane Erin will continue to strengthen as it approaches the Leeward Island and Puerto Rico, where it will threaten with tropical downpours, pounding surf and strong winds.

Tropical Storm Erin has begun strengthening as it streaks west across the Atlantic and is on track to reach hurricane status as soon as Friday, prompting tropical storm watches in the northern Leeward Islands.

Hurricane Erin, the first of the 2025 Atlantic season, is forecast to become a major storm this weekend, bringing heavy rain, flooding risk, and dangerous surf to parts of the Caribbean and western Atlantic.

Tropical Storm Erin is approaching Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, bringing heavy rains that could cause flooding and landslides

Tropical Storm Erin is gaining strength in the central Atlantic and could become the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season by Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center. At 11 AM AST (1500 UTC) on Tuesday,

Hurricane Erin was a Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds on Monday night as it passed to the east of the Bahamas. The forecast track keeps the center of the storm well away from the U.S. East Coast this week, but tropical storm and storm surge watches have been issued for the North Carolina Outer Banks. National Hurricane Center

Erin became one of the earliest Category 5 hurricanes on record on Saturday. The storm will lash parts of the northern Caribbean on Sunday and Monday.