Hurricane Erin rapidly intensifies to category five storm
Hurricane Erin underwent rapid intensification, in which a storm strengthens by at least least 34mph in a 24-hour period.Erin's winds had intensified from 100mph early in the hours of Saturday morning to 160 mph, Mr Brennan said.Next week, Hurricane Erin is forecast to move gradually northward, past the east of the Bahamas and up towards the Outer Banks of North Carolina.The storm will generate dangerous life-threatening surf and rip currents up almost "entire east coast" of the United States next week, said Mr Brennan.Florida and the mid-Atlantic states will see the most dangerous surf conditions, he said. Bermuda could also see "life-threatening" surf conditions and heavy rainfall, Mr Brennan added.The US Coast Guard has sent out a warning that forecasts gale force winds within 24 hours, imposing restrictions for vessels at ports on the St Thomas and St John in the US Virgin Islands, as well as six municipalities in Puerto Rico, including San Juan.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), the US government's primary weather agency, has predicted an "above normal" Atlantic hurricane season this year.The number of tropical storms that reach category four and five is projected to increase due to global warming.
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Hurricane Erin sparks massive waves and evacuations in North Carolina's Outer Banks
Hurricane Erin remained far out at sea on Tuesday, yet it was still producing massive swells, with waves towering 20ft (6 meters) or more and crashing across sand dunes along North Carolina's barrier islands. The storm was tracking northward, running roughly parallel to the East Coast, according to the US's National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami. Though not projected to strike the mainland, Erin is expected to expand in size and generate hazardous rip currents in the upcoming days. Officials in North Carolina's Outer Banks warned of coastal flooding, prompting evacuation orders. Erin became the Atlantic's first hurricane of 2025, intensifying rapidly to a category 5 on Saturday before weakening. It then regained strength, knocked out power to more than 147,000 utility customers in Puerto Rico, and finally dropped to category 2 status on Tuesday morning. The storm had sustained winds of 110 mph while moving north-west at 7 mph. Its center was located about 665 miles south-west of Bermuda and 720 miles south-south-east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The storm's rapid growth ranks it among the fastest-intensifying hurricanes ever observed in the Atlantic, highlighting scientists' warnings that climate change – driven by greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans – is fueling more rapid storm strengthening. Category 2 hurricanes carry sustained winds of 96 to 110mph. Erin was just shy of category 3, the threshold for what forecasters call a 'major' storm that is capable of severe destruction, with winds starting at 111mph. Even without a direct hurricane warning, Hatteras and Ocracoke islands were ordered to evacuate. Officials fear that North Carolina state highway 12 (NC 12), the narrow route linking the communities, will be heavily damaged or swept away, leaving residents isolated for days or even weeks. In the Outer Banks, roughly 3,500 locals are accustomed to occasional cutoffs from the mainland – but the tens of thousands of tourists currently visiting are not. 'We haven't seen waves of that size in a while and the vulnerable spots have only gotten weaker in the past five years,' Reide Corbett, executive director of the Coastal Studies Institute, told the Associated Press. 'Water, water everywhere. That really resonates on the Outer Banks,' Corbett said. The northern areas around Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills, home to the region's densest development, are outside the evacuation zone. But to the south, across Oregon Inlet, lies Hatteras Island, which relies solely on NC 12 for access. Beyond that is Ocracoke Island, which can only be reached by plane or ferry. Highways were first built there more than six decades ago. Since then, the remote fishing communities transformed into a booming tourist destination, now dotted with thousands of oversized vacation homes. When storms strike, ocean and sound waters often breach dunes, burying the road under sand and debris. Severe events can tear apart pavement or carve out entirely new inlets, forcing temporary bridges. Throughout the 2010s, the North Carolina department of transportation spent more than $1m annually just to keep NC 12 open, plus roughly $50m over the decade for storm-related repairs. Despite the expense, Dare county generates about $2bn annually from tourism, ensuring that the cycle of rebuilding continues. But repairs are not quick. Hurricanes Isabel in 2003 and Irene in 2011 both created new inlets that required two months of ferry service until bridges were installed. Rising sea levels, driven by climate change-related warming temperatures and melting ice, add to the danger. With much of the Outer Banks only a few feet above sea level, even minor erosion can have major effects, such as in Rodanthe, the community that juts furthest into the Atlantic. Since 2020, more than a dozen homes in Rodanthe have collapsed into the sea. Authorities believe at least two more vacant houses could be lost if Erin's surf is as intense as predicted. The Associated Press contributed reporting
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Hurricane Erin tracker reveals 7 US states facing coastal threats
Millions of Americans are being urged to prepare as Hurricane Erin moves up the East Coast over the Atlantic Ocean. Although the storm is not expected to make landfall , North Carolina , South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia , New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts are facing significant coastal threats. Hatteras Island in North Carolina has been evacuated ahead of the hurricane, and the Outer Banks have declared a state of emergency. Central and eastern North Carolina, including Edgecombe County and the Outer Banks, face flash flooding with two to six inches of rain. South Carolina's coastal and low-country regions, including Charleston and Horry counties, are under warnings, worsened by saturated soils and potential storm surge . New Jersey currently has no active coastal flood advisories, but heavy rainfall and potential storm surge continue to pose a risk. Combined with satellite data, forecasters estimate winds of about 115 mph, though the NHC cautions this may be slightly generous. 'There are mixed signals on Erin's future intensity,' the NHC said. 'More favorable environmental shear and upper-level divergence in 24–36 hours could allow some re-intensification, but Erin's slow motion and large size may bring cooler water to the surface, limiting significant strengthening.' One key update is that Erin continues to grow in size, with tropical-storm-force winds now extending closer to the Mid-Atlantic and southern New England coasts later this week.
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Hurricane Erin tracker reveals seven US states at risk of life-threatening conditions as Category 3 storm approaches
Millions of Americans are being urged to prepare as Hurricane Erin moves up the East Coast over the Atlantic Ocean. Although the storm is not expected to make landfall, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts are facing significant coastal threats. Hatteras Island in North Carolina has been evacuated ahead of the hurricane, and the Outer Banks have declared a state of emergency. Flood warnings are in effect through Thursday for parts of Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, with two to seven inches of rain expected. Erin is set to generate towering 20-foot waves and dangerous rip currents along the East Coast, even while tracking roughly 200 miles offshore. The National Hurricane Center warned Tuesday morning that tropical storm conditions and coastal flooding are possible in the North Carolina Outer Banks starting late Wednesday, and strong winds could impact the Mid-Atlantic and southern New England through Friday. Beachgoers and coastal residents are urged to follow guidance from lifeguards, local authorities and posted warning flags. Forecasters said Erin is growing in size, with hurricane-force winds extending up to 80 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds stretching 205 miles, putting more areas at risk. In Georgia, flood warnings affect Burke, Emanuel, Jenkins and Screven counties. Central and eastern North Carolina, including Edgecombe County and the Outer Banks, face flash flooding with two to six inches of rain. South Carolina's coastal and low-country regions, including Charleston and Horry counties, are under warnings, worsened by saturated soils and potential storm surge. New Jersey currently has no active coastal flood advisories, but heavy rainfall and potential storm surge continue to pose a risk. A high danger of rip currents is in effect for all beaches through Wednesday evening. Waves are expected to rise from four to six feet today, eight feet by Wednesday and 10 to 12 feet by Thursday. Several towns, including Wildwood, have closed beaches, while Avalon temporarily closed a road due to wind-driven waves. South-facing Long Island beaches, along with Cape Cod and Nantucket in Massachusetts, could see six- to nine-foot waves near shore and 12 to 15 feet offshore, with dangerous rip currents and minor tidal flooding. Southeast Virginia, including Norfolk and Virginia Beach, is at risk of moderate coastal flooding. Early Tuesday, an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter plane measured winds of around 111 mph in Erin's center. Combined with satellite data, forecasters estimate winds of about 115 mph, though the NHC cautions this may be slightly generous. 'There are mixed signals on Erin's future intensity,' the NHC said. 'More favorable environmental shear and upper-level divergence in 24–36 hours could allow some re-intensification, but Erin's slow motion and large size may bring cooler water to the surface, limiting significant strengthening.' One key update is that Erin continues to grow in size, with tropical-storm-force winds now extending closer to the Mid-Atlantic and southern New England coasts later this week. The hurricane was about 665 miles southwest of Bermuda and 720 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras on Tuesday morning, moving northwest at a slow 7mph. A tropical storm warning remains in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands, where government services have been suspended, some ports closed, and residents ordered to stay home.
