Erin rapidly strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane over the Atlantic Ocean Saturday before weakening slightly to a Category 4 status, the National Hurricane Center said.

Hurricane Erin became a catastrophic Category 5 storm before noon on Saturday, Aug. 16, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center.

Erin is expected to produce dangerous surf and rip currents along the beaches of the Bahamas, much of the East Coast of the U.S., including Florida, and Atlantic Canada next week.

Nearly 155,000 utility customers are without power in Puerto Rico as Category 3 Hurricane Erin batters the Caribbean, bringing heavy rainfall and gusty winds to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

The outer bands of Erin are expected to produce 2 to 4 inches of rainfall and isolated totals of 6 inches across the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico through Aug. 17.