Hurricane Erin pelted parts of the Caribbean and was forecast to create dangerous surf and rip currents along the U.S. East Coast this week.

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.

U.S. shores are unlikely to see a direct hit, but a strong offshore hurricane can produce massive and dangerous waves well away from its center.

Additional strengthening is expected on Monday as Hurricane Erin is forecast to “remain a large and dangerous major hurricane through the middle of this week,” the National Hurricane Center said.

The first hurricane of 2025 in the Atlantic continued to track north of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on Sunday morning, hitting those islands with heavy rain and gusty winds. Erin is expected to move away from the islands later today and begin to curve more to the north.

Hurricane Erin has been downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane. A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands as winds and heavy rains continue to lash the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

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.

Erin is a Category 3 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center said in its 8 p.m. ET update Sunday, with sustained winds of 125 mph and tropical storm-force winds reaching out 205 miles. The storm is expected to continue to fluctuate in intensity and could double or even triple in size as it moves north and west,