NHC downgrades Erin to Category 2 hurricane
The hurricane is about 720 miles (1,155 km) south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 kph), the Miami-based forecaster said.
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Al Arabiya
15 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
North Carolina braces for flooding, rip currents as Hurricane Erin nears
Hurricane Erin 's outer bands began lashing North Carolina's Outer Banks on Wednesday, prompting mandatory evacuations and emergency declarations as officials warned of life-threatening surf and rip currents along the US East Coast in the coming days. Although Erin is not expected to make landfall, the Category 2 storm is already stirring memories of last year's deadly Hurricane Helene. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein declared an emergency Tuesday, urging residents to stock food, water, and supplies for up to five days. Evacuation orders were issued for Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands, and officials warned Highway 12 could be rendered impassable by waves as high as 20 feet (six meters). As of Wednesday afternoon, the unusually large storm was located about 245 miles (395 kilometers) southeast of North Carolina, packing sustained winds of 110 mph (175 kph). Its size earned it the nickname 'Enormous Erin,' with tropical storm-force winds extending hundreds of miles from its center. The National Hurricane Center said swells generated by Erin will affect the Bahamas, Bermuda, the US East Coast, and Atlantic Canada in the coming days. Scientists warn that climate change is fueling stronger and wetter hurricanes, compounding risks for coastal communities already vulnerable to sea-level rise.
Arab News
a day ago
- Arab News
Moderate to heavy rains to hit Makkah, most of Saudi regions
RIYADH: In much-awaited relief from the searing heat of this summer, most of the regions in Saudi Arabia, including Makkah, Jazan, Najran and Asir, will experience moderate to heavy rainfall starting Thursday. The welcome rain will continue until the middle of the next week, according to the forecast by the National Center of Meteorology. The center forecast on Wednesday issued a warning of moderate to heavy rainfall in Makkah, accompanied by strong winds, reduced visibility, flash floods, hail and thunderstorms. It indicated that these conditions are expected to persist until 9 p.m. Forecasting light to moderate and heavy rainfall in different areas across the Kingdom, the center said that starting on Thursday, Jazan and Baha regions will experience heavy rainfall continuing until the weekend, while moderate rains are expected until the middle of the next week. The holy city of Makkah, the resort city of Taif and the Asir region will experience moderate to heavy rainfall until the middle of the next week, whereas Jeddah will experience light to moderate rainfall. Najran and Badr areas will receive moderate to heavy rains, while Madinah and Yanbu will experience light to moderate rainfall. According to the center, the Saudi capital region of Riyadh and the Eastern Province will experience light to moderate rains this weekend. Amid the warning of rainfall accompanied by strong winds, reduced visibility, flash floods, hail and thunderstorms, the center called on the public to follow its weather updates on its website and social media platforms and to adhere to the instructions of the relevant authorities, including the Civil Defense, to ensure public safety. The General Directorate of Civil Defense also called for caution and adherence to guidelines due to the rainy weather forecast for several regions. The Civil Defense team in Jazan is prepared for field efforts during the rainy days, it said, posting pictures of their rescue team ready for the rainy weather. "#ForYourSafety ... During rainfall ... stay away from low-lying areas, water gatherings, and valleys,' the General Directorate posted on its social media platforms, including X. Abdullah Alotaibi, from Taif, who is working in Riyadh, told Arab News: 'This forecast came as a big sigh of relief from the ongoing scorching heat. With the welcome showers expected in many parts, the weather will turn pleasant with temperature going down and people will feel better after drizzle in different parts.' 'We are eagerly awaiting for rain in Riyadh, currently experiencing excessive heat, to reduce the mercury level,' he said.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
Hurricane Erin churns up dangerous waves and closes beaches along US East Coast
RODANTHE, N.C.: Hurricane Erin churned slowly toward the eastern US on Tuesday, stirring up treacherous waves that already have led to dozens of water rescues and shut down beaches along the coast in the midst of summer's last hurrah. While forecasters remain confident the center of the monster storm will remain far offshore, the outer edges are likely to bring damaging tropical-force winds, large swells and life-threatening rip currents into Friday. Warnings about rip currents have been posted from Florida to the New England coast, and the biggest swells along the East Coast are expected over the coming two days. Rough ocean conditions already have been seen along the coast — at least 60 swimmers were rescued from rip currents Monday at Wrightsville Beach, near Wilmington, North Carolina. New York City closed its beaches to swimming on Wednesday and Thursday, and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered three state beaches on Long Island to prohibit swimming through Thursday. Several New Jersey beaches also will be off-limits. 'Enjoy the shore, enjoy this beautiful weather but stay out of the water,' New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said Tuesday. Off Massachusetts, Nantucket Island could see waves of more than 10 feet (3 meters) later this week. But the biggest threat is along the barrier islands of North Carolina's Outer Banks where evacuations have been ordered. Erin has become an unusually large and deceptively worrisome storm, with its tropical storm winds stretching 230 miles (370 kilometers) from its core. Forecasters expect it will grow larger in size as it moves through the Atlantic and curls north. It continued to lash the Turks and Caicos Islands on Tuesday, where government services were suspended a day earlier and residents were ordered to stay home, along with parts of the Bahamas before its expected turn toward Bermuda and the US By Tuesday, Erin had lost some strength from previous days and dropped to a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (161 kph), the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. It was about 540 miles (869 kilometers) south-southeast of North Carolina's Cape Hatteras. Tropical storm watches were issued for Virginia and North Carolina as well as Bermuda. Climate scientists say Atlantic hurricanes are now much more likely to rapidly intensify into powerful and catastrophic storms fueled by warmer oceans. Two years ago, Hurricane Lee grew with surprising speed while barreling offshore through the Atlantic, unleashing violent storms and rip currents. On the Outer Banks, Erin's storm surge could swamp roads with waves of 15 feet (4.6 meters). Mandatory evacuations were ordered on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. More than 1,800 people had left Ocracoke by ferry since Monday. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein warned residents along the coast to be prepared in case they need to evacuate and declared a state of emergency Tuesday. Bulldozers shored up the dunes, and on Hatteras, the owners of a pier removed a few planks, hoping the storm surge will pass through without tearing up the structure. Most residents decided to stay even though memories are still fresh of Hurricane Dorian in 2019 when 7 feet (2.1 meters) of water swamped Ocracoke, said Randal Mathews, who serves as a county commissioner. Tom Newsom, who runs fishing charters on Hatteras, said he's lived there almost 40 years and never evacuated, and he wasn't going to this time either. Comparing this hurricane to others he has seen, he called this one a 'nor'easter on steroids.' Bryan Philips, who also lives on the island, said he'd evacuate if they were getting a direct hit. He expects the roads will be open by the weekend to make sure one of the last summer weekends isn't lost. 'That's their main concern: getting tourists back on the island as soon as possible,' said Philips. The Outer Banks' thin stretch of low-lying barrier islands that jut into the Atlantic are increasingly vulnerable to storm surges. There are concerns that parts of the main highway could be washed out, leaving some routes impassible for days. And dozens of beach homes already worn down from chronic beach erosion and the loss of protective dunes could be at risk, said David Hallac, superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Farther south, no evacuations had been ordered, but some beach access points were closed as forecasts call for water levels up to 3 feet (1 meter) over normal high tides for several days.
