Caribbean officials warn of heavy rains and big waves as Tropical Storm Erin nears
Erin was located about 790 miles east of the Northern Leeward Islands. It had maximum sustained winds of 60 miles per hour and was moving west at 17 miles per hour.
Tropical storm watches were in effect for Anguilla and Barbuda; St. Martin and St. Barthelemy; Saba and St. Eustatius; and St. Maarten.
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Erin is forecast to become a hurricane by Friday and strengthen into a Category 3 storm by late Saturday, which would mark the first major storm this season.
'Erin is moving into an area of the Atlantic primed for rapid intensification. The waters are incredibly warm,' said Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane expert for AccuWeather.
Tropical-storm force winds could occur in parts of the northern Leeward Islands, the US and British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico this weekend, forecasters said.
'There is still a greater than normal uncertainty about what impacts Erin may bring to portions of the Bahamas, the east coast of the United States, and Bermuda in the long range,' the hurricane center said.
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Hurricane specialist and storm surge expert Michael Lowry said nearly all models have Erin turning 'safely east of the broader U.S. next week.'
Erin is the fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.
Forecasters are expecting another unusually busy season for the Atlantic, with predictions calling for six to 10 hurricanes, with up to half reaching major status.
The Trump administration has slashed the number of employees at many of the agencies traditionally responsible for planning for and responding to natural disasters, including NOAA, the National Weather Service, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
So far, it is unclear how those cuts might affect the accuracy of forecasts. The weather service may begin hiring again soon.
Several disturbances will follow behind Erin. Another wave of unsettled weather may reach the Caribbean later next week.
The Hurricane Center is also monitoring a disturbance moving across the sultry waters of the Bay of Campeche and southern Gulf of Mexico. The system is forecast to cause scattered downpours in eastern Mexico and Texas on Friday and Saturday. There's a chance it could develop into a short-lived tropical depression or storm.
The next storm names after Erin are Fernand, Gabrielle, and Humberto.
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