Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph while its outer bands pounded the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico with gusty winds and heavy rains early Sunday.

Hurricane Erin rapidly exploded from a Category 2 storm to a massive Category 5 at the start of the weekend before weakening gradually to Category 3 by early Sunday morning. The storm is on track to curve north between the U.S. East Coast and Bermuda next week, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Erin was downgraded to Category 3 early morning on Sunday, Aug. 17, per the National Hurricane Center. However, the tropical storm is still expected to bring 'life-threatening' conditions to the beaches along much of the east coast of the U.

Hurricane Erin has weakened slightly to a Category 4 storm while positioned northeast of Puerto Rico and is on course to brush along the U.S. East Coast.

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.

Erin reached Category 5 status before weakening but has brought significant rain to the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

While a Gulf disturbance that moved into Texas on Friday seems to have run its course, Hurricane Erin in the western Atlantic intensifies.

An eyewall replacement cycle is underway within Hurricane Erin as the monster storm continues to barrel across the Atlantic while bringing gusty winds and rain to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands after rapidly intensifying into a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane over the weekend.