Hurricane Erin's winds decreased to 125 mph early Sunday morning, Aug. 17. Erin is still a major Category 3 hurricane and growing in size.

Erin has become the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. The quick-moving storm expected to become a strong Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph within the next 72 hours, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Erin, which had exploded into a Category 5 powerhouse, was downgraded to a Category 3 storm on Sunday, but rip currents and surf remained "life-threatening" to beachgoers along the U.S. East Coast,

Hurricane Erin formed in the Atlantic Aug. 15 and rapidly strengthened to a catastrophic Category 5 storm with 160 mph winds on Saturday, Aug. 16, according to the National Hurricane Center. Erin is the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.

As the hurricane makes its way north well off the coast of the United States, the Space Coast will get rain and beach impact, meteorologists say.

Hurricane Erin, which briefly intensified into a Category 5 storm Saturday morning, weakened to a Category 3 by the evening as it underwent an eyewall replacement cycle in the Atlantic, forecasters said.

The Atlantic basin includes the northern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of America, as the Gulf of Mexico is now known in the U.S. per an order from President Trump. NOAA and the National Hurricane Center are now using Gulf of America on its maps and in its advisories.

5 p.m. Update: Erin is now organizing and strengthening over the Central Atlantic. Erin is expected to become at least a Catgory 3 hurricane but missing Puerto Rico to the north and staying well east of Florida. It is expected to reach Jacksonville’s latitude about early Wednesday, resulting in some rough seas and surf at area beaches next week.