Latest news with #CategoryFive
BBC News
2 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Hurricane Erin grows in size as it barrels towards Caribbean
Hurricane Erin is expected to intensify, despite being downgraded to a category three storm as it moves towards the Bahamian Archipelago in the storm became a rare category five cyclone on Saturday night, with winds up to 160mph (260km/h), but meteorologists expect it to grow in size as it develops over the next few US National Hurricane Center (NHC) says Erin is forecast to have tropical-storm-strength winds extending 205 miles from its centre. Storm-related hazards, including flash flooding and landslides, are expected in the Virgin Islands and Puerto first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, it is not forecast to make landfall over the mainland US. Erin underwent rapid intensification as it barrelled towards the Caribbean on Saturday, with NHC director Mike Brennan telling a briefing that it had "explosively deepened and intensified" after growing from tropical storm strength on Friday. But its windspeeds - along with its forward movement - slowed as it began to turn northwards away from the Caribbean. The NHC expects it to continue to turn away from the US over the course of next week and back into the hurricane is currently passing north of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic with winds up to totals across the Virgin Islands and Turks and Caicos islands are predicted to reach 6in (15cm) on storm warnings are in place for the Turks and Caicos islands, where strong winds and rip currents - which can rapidly drag people out to sea - are NHC said Erin was expanding, with hurricane-force winds extending up to 25 miles from its centre as of 09:00 GMT. The storm will generate life-threatening surf swells and rip currents up almost the entire US east coast, said Mr and mid-Atlantic states will see the most dangerous surf conditions, he said. Bermuda could also see "life-threatening" surf conditions and heavy rainfall, Mr Brennan added, as well as the of gale force winds, the US Coast Guard is imposing restrictions on vessels at ports on St Thomas and St John in the US Virgin Islands, as well as six municipalities in Puerto Rico, including San National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), the US government's primary weather agency, has predicted an "above normal" Atlantic hurricane season this number of tropical storms that reach category four and five is projected to increase due to global warming. Predicted path of Hurricane Erin
BBC News
3 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Hurricane Erin rapidly intensifies to category five storm
Hurricane Erin has rapidly intensified into a category five hurricane, packing maximum sustained winds of 160mph (260km/h). National Hurricane Center Director Mike Brennan told a briefing that the "extremely powerful" storm had "explosively deepened and intensified" overnight after growing from tropical storm strength on Friday. Erin is expected to pass north of the Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico over the weekend, bringing up to 6in (15cm) of rain, with the potential for flash flooding and mudslides. The storm, which is the first hurricane the 2025 Atlantic season, is not currently forecast to make landfall on the mainland US. Hurricane Erin underwent rapid intensification, in which a storm strengthens by at least least 34mph in a 24-hour winds had intensified from 100mph early in the hours of Saturday morning to 160 mph, Mr Brennan week, Hurricane Erin is forecast to move gradually northward, past the east of the Bahamas and up towards the Outer Banks of North storm will generate dangerous life-threatening surf and rip currents up almost "entire east coast" of the United States next week, said Mr and the mid-Atlantic states will see the most dangerous surf conditions, he said. Bermuda could also see "life-threatening" surf conditions and heavy rainfall, Mr Brennan US Coast Guard has sent out a warning that forecasts gale force winds within 24 hours, imposing restrictions for vessels at ports on the St Thomas and St John in the US Virgin Islands, as well as six municipalities in Puerto Rico, including San National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), the US government's primary weather agency, has predicted an "above normal" Atlantic hurricane season this number of tropical storms that reach category four and five is projected to increase due to global warming.
