Stunning footage captures eye of Category 5 Hurricane Erin in the Atlantic Ocean

Footage showing the eye of Category 5 Hurricane Erin in the Atlantic Ocean north of the Caribbean has been captured.

The footage, shot by a US Air Force flying squadron and shared to X (formerly Twitter), shows the eye of the storm surrounded by a circle of thick clouds.

The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, known colloquially as the “Hurricane Hunters”, said the footage it captured showed the “breathtaking stadium effect”.

Last night, the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flew into the eye of Hurricane Erin—and captured imagery of the breathtaking stadium effect.

These missions provide critical data to the NHC to improve forecasts, helping keep communities safe before the storm makes… pic.twitter.com/RpAs7yMDRf

— Hurricane Hunters (@53rdWRS) August 16, 2025

Flights were made into the eye by the squadron to gather weather data, CNN reported.

“These missions provide critical data to the NHC [National Hurricane Center] to improve forecasts, helping keep communities safe before the storm makes landfall,” the Hurricane Hunters said on X.

The hurricane is one of the fastest-rapidly intensifying storms in Atlantic history, according to CNN, as in just over 24 hours it went from a Category 1 with 120km/h winds to a Category 5 with near 257km/h winds.

A hurricane is considered to go through rapid intensification when it gains at least 56km/h of wind speed in a 24-hour period.

Erin is the 11th Category 5 hurricane recorded in the Atlantic since 2016, CNN reported.

An “above normal” hurricane season for the Atlantic this year has been predicted by the US government’s primary weather agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, according to the BBC.

Hurricane Erin is forecast to gradually move north, past the east of the Bahamas, toward the coast of North Carolina next week, said the BBC.

The storm is predicted to create life-threatening surf and rip currents along much of the east coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada as well as on the beaches of the Bahamas next week, CNN reported.

The US Coast Guard is imposing restrictions on vessels at ports in the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico due to the gale-force winds, according to the BBC.