Tropical Storm Erin forms, could become first hurricane in Atlantic Ocean this season
The National Weather Service predicted an above-normal season for the Atlantic basin this year with an expected number of named storms between 13 and 18, five to nine of which could become hurricanes.
A tropical cyclone becomes a tropical storm when its maximum sustained wind speeds reach at least 39 mph. Hurricanes are more powerful with sustained winds of at least 74 mph. Hurricanes are rated on a scale ranging from Category 1 to Category 5, which is the most severe rating. A storm is considered to be a major hurricane when it reaches Category 3 strength with sustained winds of at least 111 mph.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
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Associated Press
15 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Parents and child killed when tree falls on car amid heavy rain, flooding in Tennessee
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — A mother, father and child were killed when a tree fell on their car amid heavy rain and flooding in Tennessee, an official said Wednesday. The three were killed when saturated ground caused a large tree to fall in the Chattanooga suburb of East Ridge just after midnight, Hamilton County Office of Emergency Management spokesperson Amy Maxwell said by telephone. The full extent of the damage isn't yet known, Maxwell said. County officials will tour the damage in the East Ridge area on Wednesday morning, she said. The flooding prompted rescues of people stuck in homes and swamped vehicles on Tuesday, and the region was bracing for more rainfall and flooding Wednesday. Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp declared a local state of emergency Tuesday night as first responders responded to flash flooding and urged people to exercise extreme caution. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for much of middle Tennessee through Wednesday night, warning of scattered flash flooding with tropical-like heavy rainfall and the possibility of training storms, especially over already saturated areas. Chattanooga Fire crews rescued motorists trapped in vehicles and residents stuck in their homes, fire department officials said. Flooding closed parts of Interstate 24 in the area, but it reopened once floodwaters receded. Swiftwater rescue teams rescued residents of three East Ridge homes trapped by rising flood waters, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Austin Garrett said the flooding was more extensive than he had seen before, noting that it is usually concentrated in one area, The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported. 'This is extremely widespread. It made it difficult for us to even get here ourselves to try to help other people,' he said. 'So no, I've never seen it to this extent, this widespread in so many areas and impacting travel the way it is.'
Forbes
15 minutes ago
- Forbes
These Airlines Have Issued Travel Waivers Today For Major East Coast Hubs Amid Tropical Storm Erin
Due to forecasted heavy rain and thunderstorms along the East Coast, and with Tropical Storm Erin likely to become the season's first hurricane, major U.S. airlines are allowing passengers flying in or out of hubs in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic to change their travel plans at no extra cost. Summer thunderstorms are a common cause of flight delays. getty Southwest Airlines has a travel advisory allowing passengers scheduled to fly in or out of 12 east coast airports Wednesday or Thursday to rebook without a penalty for travel within 14 days. Delta Air Lines issued a travel advisory covering nine airports in major Northeast and Mid-Atlantic hubs—Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington—allowing passengers ticketed to fly Wednesday or Thursday to rebook at no charge for travel through Saturday, Aug. 16. JetBlue Airways has a travel alert covering five New York metro airports—John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia, Newark, Islip and Westchester County—letting passengers ticketed for travel Wednesday to reschedule for free through Aug. 16. 'A large area of warm and moist air already present across the eastern U.S. and into the Deep South will be an ingredient for scattered showers and thunderstorms that are expected to be most active from late afternoon into the evening hours,' according to the National Weather Service. 'Heavy rain can be expected to accompany the stronger storms through the next couple of days in these areas.' How Can Air Travelers Stay Updated On Flight Delays And Cancellations? As of 9:45 a.m. Wednesday, more than 930 flights in the United States were delayed, according to data from Flightaware. This is not unusual in the summer. Travelers flying Wednesday and Thursday afternoon should check their flight status before heading to the airport to make sure it is operating on time. Passengers with flights covered by an airline travel waiver may consider rebooking to a later date without having to pay a change fee or fare difference. Travelers can download the carrier's app to monitor for updates or plug their flight information into FlightAware and click the 'Where is my plane now?' link just under the flight number. The tool lets flyers see if their plane is running ahead of schedule, on time or behind schedule—typically before the airline announces a delay or cancellation, which can save valuable time if rebooking is necessary. Tropical Storm Erin will 'likely become a hurricane by late Thursday or early Friday' according to the most recent update from the National Hurricane Center. As of Wednesday morning, the storm has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and is moving across the Atlantic Ocean at a speed of roughly 20 mph and will impact portions of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by this weekend. Most forecast models do not show the storm making landfall in the United States. Further Reading Tropical Storm Erin Expected To Become First Major Hurricane Of 2025 Atlantic Season: What To Know (Forbes)
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Maryland heat and storms, "Erin" impacts beaches this weekend
The dog days of August are here with haze, heat, and humidity trending as our biggest weather story through early next week. The other big story will be tropical storm "Erin" and the impacts from this strengthening storm along our Atlantic beaches this weekend. The pattern is shifting as high pressure slides offshore, letting warmer, moisture-packed air flow in. By Thursday, a weak front will be moving our way, stirring up the atmosphere and giving us a better shot at those pop-up afternoon and evening storms. Today and Thursday will feature the highest and uncomfortable humidity levels over the next 10-days. Combine this round of tropical humidity with high temperatures in the upper 80s and lower 90s, and feels like temperatures will climb to between 95° and 100°. High temperatures both afternoons will top out around 90°. A weak cold front will be draped near our area today into Thursday. This front will generate a broken line of heavy thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. Storms will begin to form out in the mountains of western Maryland around lunchtime and then move east and arrive in our area between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. In the Baltimore metro, the best chance for heavy and gusty storms will be between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. The Storm Prediction Center has placed the entire WJZ viewing area under a level 1 out of 5 risk for severe storms. While most storms will not cause damage or major disruptions, a few may feature wind gusts over 50 mph, hail, and frequent lightning. The biggest impact is that the storms with torrential downpours will impact some of the evening commute. While there may be a rain delay at the start of the Orioles game, they should be able to easily squeeze the game in as storms should exit the area by 8 p.m. Thursday's storms will be rather sparse in coverage compared to today. An isolated storm or two is possible, but most of the area should stay rain-free. If you don't receive any rain from the hit or miss storms today and tomorrow, you'll likely want to water your lawns and gardens as we will endure a hot and dry stretch of weather through the weekend. We're looking at a seasonably hot and muggy weekend across Maryland. The good news about the weekend forecast is that it's mainly dry. The only exception may be a few isolated afternoon and evening showers and storms, mainly south and west of Baltimore City. Highs Saturday will reach the upper 80s, but feel like the lower 90s. Sunday's heat will be more intense with highs in the lower 90s, but with higher humidity, feels like temperatures will top out in the lower 100s. Beachgoers will also need to be extra cautious this weekend. Tropical Storm Erin, spinning well offshore, will send larger swells toward the Mid-Atlantic coast, increasing the rip current risk along Maryland and Delaware beaches. Hazardous surf is expected, especially Saturday and Sunday. If you're heading to the beach, swim near a lifeguard, never enter the water alone, and avoid swimming in areas where you see breaking waves funneling back out to sea - a telltale sign of a rip current. Always check the latest beach hazard statements before heading out. Early next week looks warm and unsettled, with several weak fronts moving through and afternoon storms possible each day. Any storm that forms through the week could bring heavy rain, gusty winds, and plenty of lightning. Stay hydrated, pace yourself in the heat, and keep an eye on both the radar and beach forecasts - summer in Maryland isn't done with us yet.
