Thousands without power in Puerto Rico
Digest more
Hurricane Erin is a dangerous Cat 5 hurricane
Digest more
Implications for the Leeward Islands: Residents and visitors in St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix, Puerto Rico and the northern Leeward Islands should monitor this system throughout the week. Even if the wave remains weak, increased moisture could bring showers, gusty winds and higher seas toward the end of the week.
Most of Erin’s intensification occurred during a 12- to 15-hour window overnight, according to Dan Pydynowski, a meteorologist at AccuWeather. By 5 p.m. Friday, Erin’s winds had remained only 75 mph.
Forecasters said Erin should begin to slowly weaken as it increased wind shear. However, it's predicted to remain a major hurricane until late next week.