Erin strengthens to Category 5 hurricane
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Forecasters are tracking a new disturbance in the Atlantic Ocean as Hurricane Erin, a Category 5 storm, undergoes an eyewall replacement cycle, according to a Saturday night update from the National Hurricane Center.
Erin developed in the eastern Atlantic, moving westward from the Cabo Verde Islands at about 20 mph (32 km/h). Infrared sensors on NOAA's GOES-19 satellite reveal colder cloud tops and deep convection near the center — signs of a strengthening system feeding on warm ocean waters.
Tropical Storm Erin is strengthening, with winds now at 70 mph, close to hurricane force. Erin is now expected to become a Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph. Tropical Storm Erin is expected to become a hurricane Friday,