Hurricane Erin remains a Category 3
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Storms that ramp up so quickly complicate forecasting and make it harder for government agencies to plan for emergencies. Hurricane Erick, a Pacific storm that made landfall June 19 in Oaxaca, Mexico, also strengthened rapidly, doubling in intensity in less than a day.
As of 5 a.m. on Sunday, Hurricane Erin has weakened back to a Category 3 storm but has grown larger, the National Hurricane Center said.
Erin reached Category 5 status before weakening but has brought significant rain to the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
As of 5:00 p.m. AST on Sunday, Erin’s center was positioned approximately 275 miles northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico, tracking west-northwest at 13 mph. Although no longer directly affecting the area, the storm’s outer bands are still delivering heavy rainfall, dangerous marine conditions, and life-threatening surf along coastal areas.
Hurricane Erin, after strengthening into a Category 5 storm early Saturday, weakened to Category 3 by Sunday morning and has taken a track slightly more south than originally forecast, the National Hurricane Center said.