Hurricane Erin has escalated into a Category 5 storm, posing significant threats as it skirts near Puerto Rico and the Leeward Islands. Expected to bring heavy rainfall and swells, Erin is projected to head north early next week,

As of Saturday morning, Erin has become a Category 5 hurricane. Maximum sustained winds are at 160 mph, and the storm is moving west-northwest at 17 mph with a lower pressure down to 917 mb. Erin is encountering warmer ocean water as it moves closer to the northernmost Leeward Islands. Hurricane Hunters are currently investigating the storm.