Hurricane Erin is currently intensifying as it heads toward the Bahamas and the eastern United States, boasting sustained winds near 140 mph.
The National Hurricane Center warns of “life-threatening surf and rip currents” that will affect beaches along much of the East Coast over the coming days.
While Erin is not projected to make landfall in the U.S., forecasters from the National Weather Service office in Morehead City, North Carolina, are urging residents in areas such as the Outer Banks to prepare for enormous waves, ranging from 15 to 20 feet and potentially more.
Days of flooding are also anticipated as the storm progresses, with the NWS adding, “Coastal flooding will likely be a long-duration issue, impacting Highway 12,” indicating that certain parts of the main highway on the Outer Banks may become impassable for several days.
In response to the impending danger, the North Carolina transportation department has enacted a mandatory evacuation order for all visitors to Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands, with similar orders for residents to take effect early Tuesday.
Officials in Hyde County have declared a state of emergency for Ocracoke Island, highlighting that emergency services might be unable to utilize Highway 12 to assist individuals in distress.
Meanwhile, Dare County has issued a state of emergency for the entire county in anticipation of the storm’s effects.
As of the latest update from the hurricane center, Erin is approximately 140 miles north of Grand Turk Island and is moving west-northwest at a speed of 10 mph.
The hurricane’s reach is already significant, with hurricane-force winds extending up to 80 miles from its center and tropical-storm-force winds reaching up to 230 miles.
The Turks and Caicos Islands are currently experiencing waves exceeding 10 feet, with sea swells ranging from 8 to 12 feet, and occasionally up to 17 feet,
prompting the local weather service to issue tropical storm warnings and flood warnings due to heavy rainfall.
Despite the lowered forecast for a direct strike on the U.S. and surrounding territories, Erin poses a heightened risk of tall waves and hazardous rip currents along the eastern coastline from Florida to Massachusetts as it continues its northward movement.
Tropical-storm-force winds are only anticipated to impact a small section of the U.S. by mid-week, mainly centering on the Outer Banks, while Bermuda and parts of Canada are also at risk as the storm progresses.
The National Hurricane Center reports that the core of this Category 4 storm is expected to pass to the east of the southeastern Bahamas today.
It is anticipated to navigate between Bermuda and the eastern U.S. coastline by the middle of the week.
Erin is predicted to gradually shift toward the northwest later on Monday and then turn north on Tuesday.
Having recently weakened from a powerful Category 5 storm with nearly 160 mph winds this past weekend, Erin’s intensity has shown fluctuations, but forecasters expect the storm to expand as it nears the U.S., increasing the likelihood of flooding and other impacts.
Experts link the increased power of hurricanes, such as Erin, to climate change, attributing warmer air and ocean temperatures as significant contributors to more intense storms.
These conditions lead to an abundance of fuel for severe weather events, including hurricanes and inland storms, raising concerns about flooding, which is the leading cause of death during such disasters.
Erin marks the first Atlantic storm of the season to achieve hurricane status, coming on the heels of several tropical storms that led to a relatively sluggish start in 2025.
However, signs indicate that the hurricane season may be in the midst of ramping up, as the hurricane center is monitoring a tropical wave over the eastern Atlantic that has the potential to develop into another storm within the upcoming week.
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