
Hurricane Erin forces evacuations on North Carolina's Outer Banks, threatens dangerous rip currents
Although the monster storm is expected to stay offshore, evacuations were ordered on such barrier islands along the Carolina coast as Hatteras as authorities warned the storm could churn up dangerous rip currents and swamp roads with waves of 15 feet (4.6 meters).
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Southwest unveils Getaways with flights, hotels and 2 free bags
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Hurricane Erin Palm Beach impact: Fire Rescue warns of rip currents, heavy surf
As Hurricane Erin churns in the Atlantic Ocean east of Florida, its effects are being felt along Florida's coast. There is a high risk of rip currents along Palm Beach County beaches through Thursday evening, according to the National Weather Service in Miami. "Beach conditions along the East Coast will become increasingly dangerous this week due to long-period ocean swell from distant Major Hurricane Erin," Palm Beach Fire Rescue officials said in an alert on Aug. 19. That risk will continue through the week and conditions will improve into early next week, Fire Rescue said. Still, beachgoers should be aware that surf conditions could still be rough with a higher risk of rip currents for about a week, Fire Rescue said. A rip current is a strong, narrow flow of water that extends from the shore with a strong pull past the surf zone, according to the National Weather Service. Rip currents can pull even strong swimmers away from shore very quickly, Palm Beach Fire Rescue said in its alert. To escape a rip current, swimmers can try to swim parallel to the shore instead of toward it, Fire Rescue said. "The most important thing to remember if you are ever caught in a rip current is not to panic," Palm Beach Fire Rescue said in its alert. "Continue to breathe, try to keep your head above water, and don't exhaust yourself fighting against the force of the current." Swimmers who are unable to escape a rip current should face toward the shoreline and call or wave to get help, the National Weather Service said. People visiting beaches in Palm Beach should swim close to a lifeguard tower, check the conditions board and look for hazard flags, Fire Rescue said. A red flag means there is a high rip current and strong surf. With Phipps Ocean Park closed for a $31 million renovation, Midtown Beach is the currently only beach in Palm Beach with lifeguards. To check daily beach conditions in Palm Beach, call 561-835-4693. Where is Hurricane Erin? As of the National Hurricane Center's 11 a.m. advisory on Aug. 19, Hurricane Erin was forecast to remain away from the U.S. in the Atlantic Ocean. While the eye of the storm is expected to remain offshore, areas of coastal North Carolina north into New England could experience tropical storm conditions and storm surge through Aug. 22, the National Hurricane Center said. Mayor Danielle Moore at the Town Council's Aug. 12 meeting encouraged residents to sign up for Palm Beach's emergency alert system by going to and click the "Sign Up" button. Kristina Webb is a reporter for Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at kwebb@ Subscribe today to support our journalism. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Hurricane Erin Florida impact: Rip currents, heavy surf in Palm Beach
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Is a hurricane headed to Texas? Map shows active systems in the Atlantic for next 7 days
As Hurricane Erin weakens to a Category 2 and turns north along the East Coast, forecasters are also watching two systems in the open Atlantic that could grow into stronger storms. The National Hurricane Center said Erin is expected to 'substantially grow in size' as it tracks across the western Atlantic this week, though it will stay clear of Texas. The two disturbances, however, could develop in ways that eventually threaten the Lone Star State. NHC map shows active systems in Atlantic. Will either hit Texas? In addition to Hurricane Erin, the NHC is tracking two other disturbances in the Atlantic that could bring tropical weather. One tropical wave over the central Atlantic is producing a broad area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Conditions appear favorable for gradual development, with a potential tropical depression forming by the end of the week or over the weekend. Forecasters expect the system to move west to west-northwest, reaching the vicinity of the Leeward Islands by Friday, August 22. The NHC has given it a 60% chance of development over the next seven days. A second tropical wave, located a few hundred miles southeast of the Cabo Verde Islands, is generating a concentrated area of showers and thunderstorms. The environment is favorable for further development as the system moves westward. However, by the end of the week, it could encounter less favorable conditions, limiting its potential for further strengthening. The NHC has given this system a 30% chance of development over the next seven days. At this stage, it's too soon to determine if either system will develop — and much too early to confirm whether either will directly impact Texas, take a different path or dissipate without posing a threat to land at all. Where is Hurricane Erin? See path Special note on the NHC cone: The forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time. Here's the latest Aug. 19 update on Hurricane Erin. Location: 720 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras North Carolina Maximum sustained winds: 110 mph Movement: northwest at 7 mph Pressure: 958 mb Hurricane Erin spaghetti models Special note about spaghetti models: Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest performing models to help make its forecasts. How does the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season compare to last year in Texas? For Texas, the season has been relatively quiet so far — a sharp contrast to mid-August last year, when the state was already six weeks past the final storm to impact the state, which saw the two earliest storms of the 2024 hurricane season. In late June 2024, Tropical Storm Alberto threatened the Texas, and by early July, the Lone Star State was tracking one one of the hardest-hit hurricanes of the season — Hurricane Beryl, which became the earliest Category 5 storm on record before making its third landfall near Matagorda. After that, the remainder of the season was relatively mild for Texas, with no other storm threatening the state. No storms have directly affected Texas this season, but forecasters warn the season is ramping up as it nears its peak months in August and September. Last week, on Friday, Aug. 15, Invest 98L — which the National Hurricane Center believed could strengthen into a tropical depression — reached South Texas but brought little impact other than a few inches of rainfall. Texas weather radar Texas weather watches and warnings Stay informed. Get weather alerts via text Brandi D. Addison covers weather across the United States as the Weather Connect Repor This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Is a hurricane headed toward Texas? Map shows active tropical systems