When hurricane season is in full swing, the news can be difficult to parse. What’s the difference between a hurricane and a tropical cyclone, after all, and what on Earth is an eye wall replacement cycle?

Erin is the fifth named storm to develop during the Atlantic hurricane season, which started just over two months ago. Last week, Tropical Storm Dexter formed in the western Atlantic but didn't pose a threat to land. In early July, Tropical Storm Chantal made landfall on the Carolina coast, bringing deadly flooding to the region.

Erin became a Category 5 hurricane Saturday morning in the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean but has now weakened to a Category 2.

The first area has been under the eyes of the National Hurricane Center for a few days as it emerged off Africa’s west coast.

Tropical Storm Erin is tracking west over the open Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday and forecasters expect it to become the first hurricane of the Atlantic season this week.

Erin has strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane as of Saturday. It's the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, which officially formed mid-Friday morning. Some Tropical Storm watches remain in effect for parts of the northern Leeward Islands, according to forecasters at the National Hurricane Center.

So far, the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season has produced four tropical storms and no hurricanes. As of Friday, August 8, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) was monitoring two areas of interest for storm development—one off the southeastern U.

Tropical Storm Erin is expected to become the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, federal forecasters say.

While Hurricane Erin continues to generate rough surf and coastal hazards, AccuWeather meteorologists are monitoring additional tropical waves near the region where Erin initially formed earlier this month.