According to a post to X from Michael Lowry, a hurricane specialist for a south Florida news station, Erin is the fifth Category 5 storm on “record to form this early in the hurricane season and the only Category 5 observed outside the Gulf or Caribbean this early in the year.”

South Florida kicked off the new work with a warm and muggy morning as temperatures hovered in the low to mid 80s. Highs will climb to the low 90s in the afternoon. It will feel like the triple-digits when the humidity is factored in. The chance of rain is low but spotty showers are possible this afternoon.

As of Monday, low-income homeowners of any age can apply for the grants of up to $10,000 to help residents make storm-related upgrades.

Hurricane Erin is expected to bring life-threatening surf and rip currents across the U.S. eastern seaboard this week, according to the National Hurricane Center. It is now a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph.

This week’s weather across the Florida peninsula will remain fairly typical for August, even with a major hurricane moving through the Atlantic. A weak high-pressure system in the upper atmosphere continues to dominate the area,

Hurricane Erin became the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season on Friday, with sustained winds of 75 mph as it moves toward the Leeward Islands.