Updated August 16, 2025 at 4:00 p.m.
On Saturday morning, the Erin storm became a major hurricane, the first of the 2025 season in the Atlantic basin. In addition to being impressive, the rapid intensification of Erin can also seem a little frightening … What repercussions could this powerful hurricane of category 5 have in the Antilles and in Quebec? Explanations.
A dazzling entry
On August 16, at the end of the morning, Erin’s winds were blowing at 260 km/h, which is now making a category 5 hurricane.
One thing is certain: Erin knows how to keep us going! The morning on Saturday was jostled by the impressive intensification of the storm. Category 3… Oh! No, category 4 rather! Wow, already category 5! It looks like we turn away for a moment and that everything changes! It is really this impression that the Hurricane Erin gives us, while his intensification is done quickly, more than the signs could demonstrate it initially. “On August 15 around 11 am, Erin was just above the threshold to be able to be qualified as a hurricane, with winds of 120 km/h. Saturday before, about 24 hours later, its winds were already blowing at an intensity near double, “said Patrick Duplessis, meteorologist.
Indeed, this is called a jump of four quick categories!
Where are you going, Erin?
For the moment, it is still planned that Hurricane Erin will get a path just north of Puerto Rico. The good news? Erin’s trajectory does not plan to pass on land. The hurricane would thus avoid Bahamas and Florida in particular. However, abundant precipitation should pour out on Puerto Rico and most likely part of the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. Large waves should also hit the ribs of these islands.
Another sigh of relief: Quebec should not have direct repercussions of this storm! On the other hand, we watch closely, for sectors of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, the arrival of large waves on the coasts and strong winds, towards the end of next week. However, these winds should not be the strength of those associated with a hurricane.
The continuation of things?
With its winds of 260 km/h, Erin is now officially in category 5 of hurricanes, the highest. “Erin continues his impressive intensification! It was not in the plans, initially, that she reached category 5, ”adds Patrick Duplessis.