Hurricane Erin forms over Atlantic, the first of 2025 season. Maps show its path and forecast.
Forecasters with the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami have been urging people in the Caribbean islands to monitor Erin's progress, warning of the potential for heavy rainfall and life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
Hurricane Erin is not currently forecast to impact the United States, but meteorologists continue to watch it closely.
Forecasters expected Erin's path to curve northward, with the hurricane likely passing near the northern Leeward Islands over the weekend. The northern Leewards stretch from the Virgin Islands to Guadeloupe and include St. Martin, St. Barts and other islands.
A "spaghetti map" of the forecast models show the storm pivoting to the northwest and north, skirting the islands and remaining well offshore of the U.S. East Coast.
Erin is forecast to continue getting stronger, likely developing into a major hurricane, meaning at least a Category 3 with maximum sustained winds of 111 mph or higher.
Erin formed as a tropical storm Monday west of the island nation of Cabo Verde, a few hundred miles off Africa's western coast. It is the fifth named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which started in June and runs through November.
So far this year, Tropical Storm Chantal is the only one to have made landfall in the U.S., bringing deadly flooding to North Carolina in early July. In June, Barry made landfall as a tropical depression on Mexico's eastern coast.
Erin's increased strength comes as the Atlantic hurricane season approaches its peak in September. According to the hurricane center, most of the season's activity typically happens between mid-August and mid-October. In the eastern Pacific Ocean, hurricane season starts on May 15 with a peak in activity typically seen in late August.
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, forecast an above-normal season for the Atlantic this year, expecting between 13 and 18 named storms.
Tropical storms have maximum sustained winds of at least 39 mph. Forecasters with NOAA anticipated between five and nine of the storms this year could become hurricanes, which have sustained winds of at least 74 mph. Hurricanes are rated on a scale based on their wind speeds, ranging from Category 1, the weakest, to Category 5, the most severe rating.
Storms with winds of at least 111 mph are considered major hurricanes and are rated Category 3 and up. NOAA forecasters predicted there could be between two and five major hurricanes in the Atlantic this season.
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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Track Hurricane Erin path as it moves through Atlantic. Latest spaghetti models
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At the very least, Delaware and the entire East Coast of the U.S. should prepare for dangerous surf and rip currents. What are the spaghetti models for Tropical Storm Erin? The models are projecting a hard turn for Erin and a path parallel to the East Coast. 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. What is a rip current? According to NOAA, rip currents are channeled currents of water that flow away from the shore out past the line of breaking waves. They form from water piling up between the breaking waves and the beach. As the water returns from the shore, it forms a narrow stream of water that moves quickly out to sea. What to do in a rip current According to the United States Lifesaving Association, swimmers should do the following: Relax, rip currents don't pull you under. Don't swim against the current. You may be able to escape by swimming out of the current in a direction following the shoreline, or toward breaking waves, then at an angle toward the beach. You may be able to escape by floating or treading water if the current circulates back toward shore. If you feel you will be unable to reach shore, draw attention to yourself. If you need help, yell and wave for assistance. When is hurricane season? Hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. However, hurricanes can occur before and after those dates. What are the categories for tropical cyclones and hurricanes? Tropical storm A tropical storm is a tropical cyclone with winds between 39 and 73 mph. These storms bring heavy rains that could lead to dangerous flooding. Category 1 A category 1 storm is the weakest of the hurricanes with winds between 74 and 95 mph. The storm will cause some flooding, but no real structural damage. Category 2 A category 2 storm has winds between 96 and 110 mph. The storm can cause moderate damage to buildings. Category 3 A category 3 storm will have winds from 111-129 mph. It can cause major damage to well-built framed homes, uproot trees and cause power and communication outages. Category 4 A category 4 storm can cause catastrophic damage to well-built framed homes, tearing off roofs and breaking exterior walls. Mobile homes are destroyed. Roads are impassible and there are communication and power outages. Category 5 A category 5 storm can cause catastrophic damage with most framed homes and mobile homes being destroyed. Trees will be snapped and uprooted. Roads will be impassible and there will be extended power and communication outages. Prepare now for hurricanes Delaying potentially life-saving preparations could mean waiting until it's too late. "Get your disaster supplies while the shelves are still stocked, and get that insurance checkup early, as flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period," the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recommends. Get supplies to prepare for a hurricane at Lowes Develop an evacuation plan: If you are at risk from hurricanes, you need an evacuation plan. Now is the time to begin planning where you would go and how you would get there. Assemble disaster supplies: Whether you're evacuating or sheltering-in-place, you're going to need supplies not just to get through the storm but for the potentially lengthy aftermath, NOAA said. Get an insurance checkup and document your possessions: Contact your insurance company or agent now and ask for an insurance check-up to make sure you have enough insurance to repair or even replace your home and/or belongings. Remember, home and renters insurance doesn't cover flooding, so you'll need a separate policy for it. 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CBS News
3 hours ago
- CBS News
Mostly sunny, muggy, just a stray chance of thundershower in the Philadelphia region Saturday
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Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Hurricane Erin To Rapidly Strengthen This Weekend; Heavy Rain Threat In Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands
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