Hurricane Erin has rapidly intensified into a powerful Category 5 storm as it swirls in the Caribbean, according to updates from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) on Saturday.
While the hurricane is not expected to make landfall, the strong winds from the storm are already impacting nearby islands, raising concerns over potential flooding and landslides.
Meteorologists anticipate that Erin will eventually veer away from the continental United States, as stated by the Miami-based NHC.
Starting its life as a tropical storm, Erin escalated to hurricane status on Friday and witnessed a swift increase in intensity overnight into Saturday.
The phenomenon known as rapid intensification occurred when Erin’s wind speeds surged by more than 58 miles per hour within a 24-hour period.
David Parkinson, a weather producer at CBS News, elaborated that Erin’s low wind shear and tightly packed core, combined with its trajectory over very warm ocean waters, have created optimal conditions for this rapid intensification.
The sea surface temperatures in the area have been reported to exceed 85 degrees Fahrenheit, significantly warmer than normal for this time of year.
Hurricane specialist Michael Lowry remarked that Erin’s acceleration in strength was remarkable, particularly for mid-August, a time when the hurricane season is usually just ramping up.
Typically, the most powerful storms develop later in the season, peaking around mid-September.
The effects of climate change on hurricane activity are becoming more evident, as rising global sea surface temperatures have been recorded since April 2023.
This warming trend has made conditions more favorable for hurricanes to experience rapid intensification, enabling stronger storms through enhanced evaporation and subsequently increased wind speeds.
Rapidly intensifying storms pose a challenge for meteorologists, complicating forecasting efforts and making it harder for government agencies to effectively plan emergency responses.
In terms of impact, Erin’s outer bands are anticipated to bring heavy rainfall to the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, heightening the risk for localized flash flooding and landslides, as mentioned by the NHC.
Erin’s journey reflects a concerning trend, as the last Category 5 storm, Hurricane Milton, also underwent rapid intensification before striking Florida as a Category 3 storm in 2024, resulting in casualties.
According to the NHC, there have been 43 hurricanes attaining Category 5 status in the Atlantic Ocean.
From 1980 to 2023, 177 hurricanes that made landfall in the Atlantic rapidly intensified, with around 80% categorized as Category 3-5 storms undergoing this dramatic change.
Hurricane Erin’s formation occurred on Monday west of Cabo Verde, located a few hundred miles from the west coast of Africa, and developed while traversing the Atlantic.
Forecast models indicate that the center of Erin will curve northward, likely passing north of the northern Leewards, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
The storm is expected to remain significantly offshore from the East Coast of the United States, guided away by a high-pressure system in the Atlantic combined with a cold front.
However, Bermuda may feel some of Erin’s impacts, with experts noting that it could have a closer call with the more powerful eastern side of the storm.
As for the ongoing 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, Erin marks the fifth named storm since it commenced on June 1 and will conclude on November 30.
So far this season, only Tropical Storm Chantal has made landfall in the United States, causing severe flooding in North Carolina in early July.
Another storm, Barry, made landfall as a tropical depression on Mexico’s eastern shore in June.
Experts had forecasted potential for Erin to evolve into a powerful hurricane due to favorable conditions over warm waters in the Atlantic.
Alex DaSilva, Accuweather’s lead hurricane expert, noted that surface water temperatures are considerably higher than historical averages.
The hurricane season is projected to be notably active, with forecasts suggesting the occurrence of 6 to 10 hurricanes, of which 3 to 5 could achieve major hurricane status with wind speeds surpassing 110 mph.
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