Hurricane Erin has rapidly intensified, sparking urgent warnings across the US East Coast, Bermuda, and Atlantic Canada. The storm jumped from a tropical storm to a Category 5 within 24 hours before weakening to Category 3, but experts warn it could strengthen again. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) called it “a dangerous hurricane in any event.”

Erin is currently moving northwest at 13 mph with sustained winds of around 100 mph. Hurricane-force winds extend up to 90 miles from its center, while tropical-storm winds reach 265 miles. Though not expected to make direct landfall yet, its path has shifted slightly west, keeping forecasters on alert.

Warnings are in effect for North Carolina’s Outer Banks, where “a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded,” the NHC said. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for Ocracoke and Hatteras islands.

NOAA also warned: “Life-threatening surf and rip currents” are expected along the Bahamas, Bermuda, US East Coast, and Canada. Waves up to 20 feet could erode beaches and block roads.

Experts say Erin’s power comes from “rapid intensification,” fueled by unusually warm waters, making it one of the most unpredictable storms this season.