Hurricane Erin strengthened into a fearsome Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 160 mph for much of the day on Aug. 16 as it traveled west just north of the Virgin Islands, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As of Saturday night, Hurricane Erin had weakened into a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. Fluctuations in the storm's intensity are expected over the next 24 to 48 hours, but Erin is still forecast to remain a major hurricane through at least Wednesday of next week.