Hurricane Erin , the first of the 2025 Atlantic season, strengthened into a dangerous Category 4 storm on Saturday and continued to “rapidly intensify” as outer rainbands reached the northeast Caribbean Sea.

While forecasters previously predicted the hurricane would become a Category 3 by the end of the weekend , the storm had already reached Category 4 status by 6 a.m. Saturday, with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

By late Saturday morning, NHC officials said the storm’s maximum sustained winds more than doubled in a day, to 155 mph — just shy of Category 5 intensity.

A tropical storm watch, issued when storm conditions are possible within the next 12 hours, was in effect for St. Martin (including the Dutch territory of Sint Maa

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