Heavy rains expected in Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands as Hurricane Erin nears
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Erin strengthened into a hurricane on Friday as it approached the northeast Caribbean, prompting forecasters to warn of possible flooding and landslides.
The storm is expected to remain over open waters, although tropical storm watches were issued for Anguilla, Barbuda, St. Martin, St. Barts, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten.
Heavy rains were forecast to start late Friday in Antigua and Barbuda, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and southern and eastern Puerto Rico. Up to 4 inches (10 centimeters) are expected, with isolated totals of up to 6 inches (15 centimeters), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
The hurricane center also warned of dangerous swells but said the threat of direct impacts in the Bahamas and along the east coast of the United States 'appears to be gradually decreasing.'
The storm was located about 365 miles (585 kilometers) east of the Northern Leeward Islands. It had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) and was moving west-northwest at 17 mph (28 kph).
Hurricane specialist and storm surge expert Michael Lowry said Erin is forecast to eventually take a sharp turn northeast that would put it on a path between the U.S. and Bermuda.
'All of our best consensus aids show Erin turning safely east of the United States next week, but it'll be a much closer call for Bermuda, which could land on the stronger eastern side of Erin,' he said.
Erin is the Atlantic season's first hurricane. It is forecast to become a major Category 3 storm late this weekend and pass some 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of Puerto Rico.
The U.S. government has deployed more than 200 employees from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other agencies to Puerto Rico as a precaution as forecasters issued a flood watch for the entire U.S. territory from late Friday into Monday.
Puerto Rico Housing Secretary Ciary Pérez Peña said 367 shelters have been inspected and could be opened if needed.
Meanwhile, officials in the Bahamas said they prepared some public shelters as a precaution as they urged people to track the hurricane.
'These storms are very volatile and can make sudden shifts in movement,' said Aarone Sargent, managing director for the Bahamas' disaster risk management authority.
Dangerous surf and rip currents are expected to affect the U.S. East Coast next week, with waves reaching up to 15 feet (5 meters) along parts of the North Carolina coast that could cause beach erosion, according to Accuweather.
'Erin is forecast to explode into a powerful Category 4 hurricane as it moves across very warm waters in the open Atlantic. Water temperatures at the surface and hundreds of feet deep are several degrees higher than the historical average,' said Alex DaSilva, Accuweather's lead hurricane expert.
Erin is the fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.
This year's season is once again expected to be unusually busy. The forecast calls for six to 10 hurricanes, with three to five reaching major status with winds of more than 110 mph (177 kph).
Dánica Coto, The Associated Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Hurricane Erin explodes into Cat 5 storm and is expected to double - even triple
Hurricane Erin, the first major hurricane of the North American hurricane season, has intensified into a Category 5 storm, with sustained winds of 160 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service. Thankfully for the coastal U.S., forecasters do not believe the hurricane will make landfall, though severe weather on the periphery of the storm could cause adverse offshore conditions along the East Coast. Erin is expected to take a turn north after this weekend, skirting the eastern edge of the U.S. According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm is expected to travel north between Bermuda and North Carolina's Outer Banks before it continues onward into the Atlantic Ocean. "We still expect this to eventually make a more northward turn and stay offshore of the East Coast of the United States. So that certainly is good news when dealing with a storm this powerful," AccuWeather meteorologist Dan Pydynowski told USA TODAY. The National Hurricane Center predicts that by the middle of next week the storm will double or triple in size. That expansion could cause rough oceans for parts of the western Atlantic. The Caribbean will be the first to feel the storm's power; heavy rainfall is predicted in the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico this weekend. Two to four inches of rain are expected and flash flooding is possible in some areas, according to the NHC. In the continental U.S., Erin is expected to generate dangerous surf conditions along essentially the entire East Coast. High waves and dangerously strong rip currents are likely. Anyone visiting the beach on Florida's east coast between August 18 and 21 should be mindful as the storm will likely create dangerous offshore conditions during that period, according to the National Weather Service. Hurricane season in the Atlantic begins on June 1 and continued through the end of November. Major hurricanes — those that reach at least a Category 3 — tend to form in late August through mid-October, but Erin was an outlier. It began as a cluster of rainstorms off the western coast of Africa before it formed into a tropical storm system and intensified into a hurricane.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Milwaukee County urges residents to report damage as part of an effort to seek federal aid
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is mobilizing efforts to obtain federal aid in the wake of historic flooding in southeastern Wisconsin. On Aug. 12, Crowley conducted a walkthrough of the Milwaukee neighborhood around North 39th Street and West Hope Avenue to assess the damage and offer guidance and support. He urged all residents to report any damage to homes and property through the county's 211 social services hotline. That's because obtaining federal aid through the Federal Emergency Management Agency is only possible if an area documents a certain threshold of damage costs, according to the county's Office of Emergency Management. The OEM's Deputy Director Chris McGowan could not immediately provide what that threshold is for Milwaukee County or how close the county is to meeting it. But McGowan did say the office is "already anticipating we will be over that threshold." The OEM is currently spearheading efforts to assess damage across the county with support from the City of Milwaukee, volunteer groups, the state's Incident Management Team and other county agencies. McGowan said the initiative could take between several weeks and several months. Initial estimates already indicate that 11% of the damage reported to 211 is categorized as "fully destroyed," which rivals a major hurricane, McGowan said. The more people who report damage, the more likely Milwaukee County is to reach that threshold sooner and qualify for federal aid, Crowley said during the walkthrough. The neighborhood Crowley visited to assess damage was hit hard by flooding For blocks, piles and piles of water-damaged items sat near the curbs outside of homes: mattresses, suitcases, printers, moldy clothing items and damaged photos were among the heaps. It's a similar story across the county, damage assessors said. Crowley and other responders stopped at the home of Collette Anderson and her son Da'lin, who said most of the cars on their block aren't working after the street flooded with around 3 feet of water for about 12 hours. Their home also sustained significant damage, the Andersons told Crowley. Da'lin said it meant a lot to see Crowley out in their community, offering guidance and support. Another resident Crowley visited, Tamela Montgomery, said the impact of flooding has been devastating to her neighborhood. "We start from the bottom, trying to get these things for ourselves, and it's all taken away in the blink of an eye," Montgomery said. She was shocked at the speed with which her home filled with water, destroying all the toys and games she'd bought for her five grandchildren. "It was horrific," Montgomery said. "We were swimming." Crowley said, "folks are not only losing their homes but their memories." How close is the county to qualifying for federal aid? Crowley said the county and the state are still gathering information on the total impact of the damage caused by the flooding. Already, the county has received thousands of calls, he said. "Whether or not we reach that threshold, our job is to show up for people while they're going through one of the worst times in their life," Crowley said. Crowley issued a countywide emergency on Aug. 10 Crowley said he has not had any contact with the Trump Administration. How Milwaukee County residents can report flood damage: Residents can report damage to the county by calling 211 or by filling out forms on the county website. Crowley said all county residents seeing damage, especially those without insurance, should report it. FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration also offer applications for individual loans and grants to people in areas with declared disasters. During the walkthrough, Crowley thanked local partners, state agencies and community groups who've been out across the county finding ways to help their neighbors. "The only way we're going to get through this is by continuously working together, leaning on one another," Crowley said. "We've been doing a great job of that. Let's keep going." (This story was updated to change or add a photo or video.) Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@ Follow her on X at @levensc13. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee County urges residents to report flood damage via 211 line Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lines at Milwaukee dump centers expected to peak in coming days as flood cleanup advances
Chris Shefferly is inching closer to his final trip to Milwaukee's drop-off center, his truck bed filled with a flood-soaked bed frame, mattress and rugs. He's been waiting in line for the past 20 minutes, with about a block more to go. "Coming early in the morning makes a difference," he said. Thousands of Milwaukeeans have visited the city's two drop-off centers in the days since historic flooding left homes and countless possessions damaged or destroyed. Meanwhile, city crews are traversing the city, picking up soaked belongings piled on the sides of streets. More than 1,200 vehicles came to the city's two dump sites on Aug. 11. That figure rose to more than 2,000 the following day, Milwaukee Public Works Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke said at a news conference Aug. 13. More: Here are the latest updates on Milwaukee-area flood debris drop-off and pickup, free offers, shelters Some people have waited an hour and a half to drop off their destroyed possessions, and Kruschke expected to see a peak in drop offs in the coming days. The department is extending the hours at the two sites to 6 p.m. through Sunday, and has made the service free. The centers accept electronics, which are not accepted through curbside pick-up. For those who arrive later in the day, the Department of Public Works will mark the end of the line toward closing time so people are not turned away after waiting, Kruschke said. At 10 a.m. on Aug. 13, a line of 32 cars waited at the Lincoln Avenue drop-off center, wrapped around the Wendy's on South 43rd Street. Residents who were waiting in line offered one piece of advice: come early. The wait was shorter on Aug. 11 when Shefferly made his first trip to the drop-off center early in the morning, he said. He and his family were watching the Packers game when their basement flooded. They came home to a mess, but Shefferly said the damage isn't as bad as it could have been. "We were lucky," he said. How long cleanup will take in Milwaukee unclear The task of cleaning up the city won't be easy — or quick. Tens of thousands of homes have been impacted, Kruschke said. The city has about 105 regular garbage crews out, supplemented by 12 skid crews and, in some neighborhoods, backend loaders. Some crews are working 14-hour days, Kruschke said. "How long is it going to take?" he said of the cleanup effort. "We don't know." He asked residents to help by sweeping up any small pieces of debris that remain after city crews have gone by. On the morning of Aug. 13, a three-person city crew equipped with a skid steer, a dump truck, shovels and rakes was making its way up North 19th Street, picking up pile after pile of debris sitting outside homes. Car seats, bed frames, drywall and much more lay discarded on the curb. Each pile represents a family tragedy, Mayor Cavalier Johnson said. "You see what people put on the curb, things they care about: photo books, memories, things folks don't want to lose but have lost in the course of this flood," he said. Alderwoman Andrea Pratt, whose district the crew was working in, described one resident who lost the belongings of her mother who had recently passed away. Others without basements saw their living spaces flooded, she said. Internally, the department is using a new smartphone application to mark areas that need bulky waste pickup, which city officials said has made the cleanup more efficient and allowed them to prioritize the hardest-hit areas, like North 19th Street. "It's been a gamechanger," Kruschke said of the app that was implemented about two months ago. He urged residents to use the city's online portal or call 414-286-CITY to request pickup. Back at the Lincoln Avenue dump center, resident Bryan Ewerdt waited in his truck at the back of the line. The bed of his truck and trailer were full. He said he circled the drop-off centers on Industrial Road and Lincoln Avenue a few times mid-day earlier this week, but didn't think the wait in line was worth it. "The line looked over a mile long," Ewerdt said. This time, he joined the line around 10 a.m. The line picked up a little speed. "We're moving!" Ewerdt shouted excitedly. Alison Dirr can be reached at adirr@ Gina Castro is a Public Investigator she can be reached at gcastro@ This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Thousands flock to Milwaukee's dump centers as flood cleanup continues
