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Hurricane Erin passing Caribbean Islands as Category 3 storm

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Published  August 17, 2025 11:14am EDT
Hurricanes
FOX 13 News
Tracking Hurricane Erin as it develops

Tracking Hurricane Erin as it develops

FOX 13's Valerie Mills has the latest on the conditions in the tropics as Hurricane Erin continues to develop.

The Brief

    • Hurricane Erin, which peaked at Category 5 strength on Saturday, is passing the Caribbean Islands as a Category 3 storm.
    • Outer rainbands are producing gusty winds and heavy rains across the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
    • The storm is still forecast to make a gradual turn to the north Monday and Tuesday, staying east of the Atlantic Coast.

Hurricane Erin peaked at Category 5 strength on Saturday after undergoing an eyewall replacement cycle.

Erin is now a Category 3 hurricane with outer rainbands producing gusty winds and heavy rains across the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

Sustained winds are 125 mph as the storm moves west-northwest at 14 mph. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Turks and Caicos with a Tropical Storm Watch covering the SE Bahamas.

Erin’s core is expected to pass east of the Turks and Caicos Islands and southeastern Bahamas tonight and Monday. 

Local perspective:

The storm is still forecast to make a gradual turn to the north Monday and Tuesday, staying east of the Atlantic Coast.

Some fluctuations in intensity are likely the next few days, with the forecast calling for Erin to reach Category 4 strength early this week as it passes off Florida’s East Coast.

The steering is solid as Erin follows a weakness in high pressure which will guide it north and back out to sea north of Bermuda.

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Erin is a smaller storm with hurricane-force winds only extending about 25 miles out from the storm’s center. 

The main impacts will come from the outer bands, which could produce up to 8″ of rain across the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Local flooding and mudslides are possible for the islands.

Dangerous swells and rough seas will spread to the Bahamas, Bermuda and up the Atlantic Coast this week as Hurricane Erin parallels the coast as a strong storm.

Wave heights between 5-10′ are likely along Florida’s east coast early to mid-week.

Erin is expected to pass between North Carolina and Bermuda with outer rainbands and rough seas impacting these areas during the middle and end of this week.

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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Valerie Mills.

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