Hurricane Erin forecast to create life-threatening waves along US east coast
Authorities warned that some roads could be swamped by waves of 15 feet (4.6 metres).
The monster storm intensified to a category four with 140 mph maximum sustained winds early on Monday while it started to lash the Turks and Caicos Islands and the south-east Bahamas, according to the US National Hurricane Centre in Miami.
Forecasters are confident that Erin will turn north east and away from the eastern US, but it is still expected to produce dangerous waves and rip currents and could bring tropical force winds to North Carolina coast, said Dave Roberts of the centre.
Evacuations were ordered on Monday on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands on the outer banks, coming at the height of tourist season on the thin stretch of low-lying barrier islands that juts far into the Atlantic Ocean.
Coastal flooding was expected to begin on Tuesday and continue through Thursday.
There are concerns that several days of heavy surf, high winds and waves could wash out parts of the main highway running along the barrier islands, the National Weather Service said.
Some routes could be impassible for several days, authorities warned.
But there were no signs of panic on Hatteras Island, said Angela Tawes, a co-owner of Conner's Supermarket.
'It's so beautiful outside. It's hard for people to feel like there's a hurricane coming when it's so gorgeous,' she said.
Erin, the year's first Atlantic hurricane, reached a dangerous category five status on Saturday with 160 mph (260 kph) winds before weakening.
It is expected to remain a large, major hurricane into the middle of the week.
'You're dealing with a major hurricane. The intensity is fluctuating. It's a dangerous hurricane in any event,' the hurricane centre's Richard Pasch said.
Early on Monday, the storm was located about 110 miles (180 kilometres) north of Grand Turk Island and about 880 miles (1,400 kilometres) south-east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
Tropical storm warnings were in effect for the south east Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, the hurricane centre said.
Erin's outer bands hit parts of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands with heavy rains and tropical-storm winds on Sunday.
Scientists have linked the rapid intensification of hurricanes in the Atlantic to climate change.
Global warming is causing the atmosphere to hold more water vapour and is spiking ocean temperatures, and warmer waters give hurricanes fuel to unleash more rain and strengthen more quickly.
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The Independent
33 minutes ago
- The Independent
Hurricane Erin dramatically shifts trajectory after lashing the Caribbean with rain and high winds
Hurricane Erin made a sudden shift in trajectory as Category 2 winds raced towards the U.S. East Coast. Days after 130mph winds and torrential rainfall battered the Caribbean and left tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans without power, fears grew that Erin would slam into the U.S. as a Category 2 hurricane this week. In an early morning advisory on Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami confirmed the storm was unlikely to make U.S. landfall after veering northwest toward open waters. Erin's winds weakened to 100mph by 5 a.m. ET, as it churned over the Atlantic Ocean about 455 miles south-south-east from the North Carolina coast. While the East Coast has been spared the cyclone's full force, the National Hurricane Center issued a blizzard of warnings, including 'life-threatening surf and rip currents' for the U.S., Bahamas, Bermuda, and Atlantic Canada throughout this week. Storm surge-induced flooding and tropical storm conditions, including bruising winds and heavy rains, were expected to begin on Wednesday in the North Carolina Outer Banks. Along with large swells, 4ft waves were expected to spill over sea walls, making some roads 'impassable.' New York City closed its beaches to swimming on Wednesday and Thursday, and Governor Kathy Hochul ordered three state beaches on Long Island to prohibit swimming through Thursday. Off Massachusetts, Nantucket Island could see waves of more than 10 feet later this week. Tropical storm conditions could strike Virginia's southeastern coast and Bermuda on Thursday, the National Hurricane Center said. The National Hurricane Center warned that strong winds were possible between Thursday and Saturday in the Mid-Atlantic and Southern New England coasts and Atlantic Canada. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island in the Outer Banks ahead of the expected flooding. The worst conditions were expected late Wednesday through Thursday as the eye of the storm is likely to be at the closest point to the coast, carving a path between the East Coast and Bermuda. Erin is expected to grow with tropical-storm-force winds extending 265 miles from its center before it is expected to begin weakening by Friday, the agency said. Satellite imagery and reports from a U.S. Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicated that Erin 'is getting better organized, and slow strengthening is expected through Thursday night.' Erin, the first Atlantic hurricane of 2025, exploded to a ferocious Category 5 on Saturday before being downgraded to a Category 3 early Sunday morning, then regaining strength again later in the day. The storm brought flooding, rainfall, high surf, and strong winds across Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the northern Leeward Islands. By Tuesday, it lashed the Turks and Caicos Islands, where government services were suspended and residents were ordered to stay home, along with parts of the Bahamas.
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
How will Hurricane Erin impact Scotland as category 3 storm threatens UK weather?
Scotland could bare the brunt of Hurricane Erin amid warnings of "damaging winds" as we head into next week Scotland has experienced every type of weather this summer. From mini heatwaves to Storm Floris bringing strong winds, rain, and weather warnings for millions across the country, the season hasn't been plain sailing. Now, another major weather event is threatening to impact UK weather. According to a new update from the Met Office, Storm Erin may affect British weather at the end of the month, with intense winds and heavy rain on the way. The tropical storm has been wreaking havoc in Cape Verde, off the west coast of Africa, where nine people have died due to the impact of flash flooding. So, how will Hurricane Erin impact Scotland specifically? Well, while the Met Office's outlook doesn't suggest Hurricane Erin will give Scotland too much of a battering as of yet, reps have confirmed that while the storm "is not forecast to make direct landfall in the UK," it "may be picked up by the jet stream and move towards northwest Scotland by next Tuesday or Wednesday (August 26 and 27)." This could bring "damaging winds" north of the border, however the office caveated this with the fact that "there is a low-probability risk of Erin, as a deep extra tropical depression, moving close to or across the UK" at all. There is undoubtedly potential for things to turn more unsettled towards the latter part of the weekend. "We are closely watching Erin's track, with the possibility of the UK feeling the effects of what would then be ex-hurricane Erin at some point next week, bringing an area of low pressure to the UK and more unsettled conditions," Deputy Chief Meteorologist Stephen Kocher explained. "This is still a week away however, so there is lots of uncertainty in the forecast, but it is possible we could see some wet and windy weather for the last week of August." In a similar vein, analysing the long-range forecast between Tuesday, August 19, and Thursday, August 28, a Met Office spokesperson admitted the details during this period "carry low confidence". "High pressure will probably be increasingly displaced to the north through the first part of this period, allowing areas of low pressure to potentially make inroads from the Atlantic," they explained. 'This brings an increasing possibility of stronger winds and rain, some of which could be heavy and thundery, especially for southern and western areas, but this perhaps becoming more widespread with time." On the upside, temperatures look to remain above average with the possibility of more hot spells. And the weather agency went on to release a statement on how the week is likely to progress in Scotland. "A cold front will move southwards, allowing high pressure to build more widely from the north," a spokesperson said. "This will lead to a gradual clearance of cloud and the arrival of sunnier skies, particularly across northern and eastern parts of the UK on Wednesday, August 20. "Despite the improved brightness, temperatures will remain modest due to the cooler airflow and lower humidity levels. Highs across most of the UK will reach the high teens to low 20s, with mid 20s expected in the south." Thursday, August 21 will begin on a cool note, especially in the northeast of Scotland, where light showers may persist but dry and bright conditions will be large and in charge. Temperatures will range from the mid-teens in the north to low 20s in southern regions. It will be a noticeably cooler night on Thursday, and could actually be quite chilly for a few places on Friday morning. Friday, August 22 will be a dry and pleasant day, with sunny spells lifting temperatures to around 23 or 24C in the sunniest locations. As we head into the weekend, northern Scotland will see the lowest temperatures on Saturday, between 17 to 19C. Elsewhere they will hover in the high teens to low twenties. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. By Sunday, maximum daytime temperatures in northern Scotland will rise to the low twenties, but elsewhere it will be a similar story to Saturday. However, weak areas of low pressure in the Atlantic may begin to encroach on western parts of the UK later in the weekend, potentially bringing showers. So, in short, while there is the likelihood of some wet weather for Scotland, there is a lot of uncertainty around Erin's role in it, due to it being a week away.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Hurricane Erin could batter Britain: Remnants of 160mph storm may hit the UK over Bank Holiday after powering across the Atlantic
Britain faces a 'big change to more unsettled weather' next week as the remnants of Hurricane Erin are set to bring wet and windy conditions at the end of summer. Meteorologists are monitoring how the system could strengthen the jet stream and impact UK weather after the bank holiday weekend as it sweeps across the Atlantic. The Met Office said Erin underwent a 'remarkable and very fast transition' from a tropical storm to a 160mph Category 5 'monster' in 24 hours last weekend. This morning it was a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of about 100mph, located about 500 miles off the Outer Banks islands of North Carolina. The system is forecast to remain out in the ocean, before the remnants could be seen in Britain by late Sunday or early Monday - bringing big waves to coastal areas. Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said it 'does look a little bit more likely that autumn will make an early appearance' at some point next week, with an 'increased likelihood of low pressure, showers, spells of rain and increased wind as well'. Wet conditions in the final week of summer would end a period of dry weather for much of the country, with the UK on track for one of its hottest summers on record. But further warm and settled weather will continue into the bank holiday weekend, with highs of between 22C and 24C every day in London until at least next Tuesday. The Met Office expects high pressure will continue to dominate for the rest of this week, although showers are possible in western areas at the end of the weekend. Mr McGivern said Erin underwent a 'remarkable and very fast transition from a tropical storm to a Category 5 monster in just 24 hours at the start of the weekend.' He said the storm is expected to move north and then curve north-eastwards into the North Atlantic over the next few days and into the weekend. By Sunday it will have technically become an ex-hurricane, and Mr McGivern clarified that 'no hurricane could hit the UK or will hit the UK in the near future'. He said this was 'because the seas surrounding the UK are simply not warm enough -they're some 10 degrees lower than you'd expect to sustain an actual hurricane'. Looking at how Erin will affect the UK's weather, Mr McGivern continued: 'It could bring its remnants to the UK at some point, but it could well stay away. 'However, the more important question is actually how will it strengthen the jet stream and how will that jet stream bring us other lows that are not necessarily Erin? 'Either way, whether or not it hits us as an ex-hurricane, it's still likely to bring us a big change to more unsettled weather for next week.' Reading Festival begin to arrive for early bird camping on a grey and overcast morning today Reading festivalgoers arrive with their camping equipment at the site in Berkshire today He added that there were many variables involved, such as 'how an ex-hurricane is going to interact with a jet stream and how the jet stream is going interact with an ex-hurricane'. Mr McGivern said: 'What looks most likely is that that ex-hurricane fuels the jet stream. The jet stream brings a big change to the UK's weather into next week, brings an increased likelihood of low pressure, showers, spells of rain and increased wind. 'Of course, we need the rain, but it might not be welcome for people who want to enjoy the last week of the summer holidays. It does look a little bit more likely that autumn will make an early appearance.' The summer has been marked by persistent warm temperatures even outside the four heatwaves which have hit the country, with June and July both seeing well above-average conditions. With two weeks to go until the end of the meteorological summer, conditions could still shift. But the season's overall warmth and consistently above-average temperatures mean it could rank among the UK's warmest in records dating back to 1884. Met Office meteorologist Marco Petagna said: 'Any remnants of the hurricane aren't expected to have an impact on the UK until early next week, there's uncertainty how it will play out. 'From late on Sunday the uncertainty starts to kick in. There's a risk of some rain developing, a potential that then things will turn increasingly unsettled. 'It's likely becoming more unsettled early to middle part of next week, at this stage we can't be too firm on the details.' Provisional figures from the Met Office show that the UK's average temperature from June 1 to August 17 stands at 16.2C, some 1.6C above the average temperature. In North Carolina, evacuations have been ordered along the barrier islands of the Outer Banks where a storm surge from Erin could swamp roads with waves of 15ft. New York City closed its beaches to swimming today, while several New Jersey beaches also will be temporarily off-limits. Some towns in Delaware have cut off ocean access and Nantucket Island in Massachusetts could see waves of 10ft. Yesterday, Erin lashed the Turks and Caicos Islands, where government services were suspended and residents were ordered to stay home, along with parts of the Bahamas before its expected turn toward Bermuda.
