Hurricane Erin is forecast to remain well offshore but still bring hazardous currents and possible erosion like previous offshore hurricanes before it.

Powerful Hurricane Erin has undergone a period of astonishingly rapid intensification — a phenomenon that has become far more common in recent years as the planet warms. It was a rare Category 5 for a time Saturday before becoming a Category 4,

Erin has intensified to a Category Four Hurricane as it makes its way toward the East Coast of the United States.

Hurricane Erin briefly strengthened into a Category 5 storm. It is not expected to make a direct hit on the U.S. but will create dangerous surf.

Hurricane Erin is now a Category 5 storm, the highest on the class, rapidly intensifying overnight into early Saturday morning as it threatens the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico, then will move along the U.

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.

Spaghetti models predict Erin will skirt the U.S. East Coast by hundreds of miles as it moves north through next week.