Latest news with #HurricaneErin
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Hurricane Erin likely to bring East Coast life-threatening surf, rip currents
Hurricane Erin was on a path to head up the Atlantic Ocean and likely bring "life-threatening surf and rip currents" across the U.S. East Coast this week, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said Monday. The hurricane wasn't expected to make landfall in the U.S., but people in North Carolina's Outer Banks were warned of possible coastal flooding that triggered evacuation orders. Erin, the first Atlantic hurricane of 2025, weakened back into a Category 3 storm late Monday night as it churned over the Atlantic Ocean north of the Caribbean. It previously exploded to a Category 5 on Saturday before weakening to a Category 3 early Sunday morning, then regaining strength again later in the day. As of 11 p.m. ET Monday, Erin had maximum sustained winds of 125 mph. The storm's center was about 690 miles southwest of Bermuda and about 780 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. It was moving northwest at 8 mph. A Category 3 hurricane is defined as having maximum sustained winds from 111-129 mph and is considered a major storm, capable of causing catastrophic damage. Maps show Hurricane Erin's forecast path Erin is a large storm that's expected to remain powerful for the next several days, forecasters said. The center of the storm was expected to turn to the north on Tuesday and move between Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast by the middle of the week, the hurricane center said. Forecasters warned that Erin was likely to remain a "dangerous major hurricane" through the middle of the week but not much additional strengthening was expected. Erin's hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 80 miles from the center and tropical storm-force winds extended up to 230 miles from the center, forecasters said. Tropical storm warnings were in effect for Turks and Caicos and the southeast Bahamas, the hurricane center said. Tropical storm watches were issued for the central Bahamas and North Carolina's Outer Banks. A tropical storm warning means tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, while a watch means they are possible. A storm surge watch was also issued for the Outer Banks, alerting people to the possibility of life-threatening inundation from coastal flooding starting Wednesday. Hurricane Erin's "spaghetti models" A "spaghetti map" of the forecast models shows the storm skirting the Caribbean islands and remaining well offshore of the U.S. East Coast as it moves north and curves back over the Atlantic. A high-pressure system in the Atlantic was expected to steer Erin away from the U.S. coast while a cold front was also forecast to push the hurricane offshore, CBS News Bay Area meteorologist Jessica Burch reported. How will Hurricane Erin affect the U.S.? Erin is not forecast to hit the U.S. directly, but coastal areas along the Eastern Seaboard will feel its effects with dangerous rip currents and high waves of more than 20 feet over the next several days. "These rough ocean conditions will likely cause life-threatening surf and rip currents," the hurricane center warned. Mike Brennan, the hurricane center's director, said the dangerous conditions were expected to last for much of the week across almost the entire East Coast. He urged people to heed any warnings from local officials. "It's just not going to be a very safe environment to be in the ocean," Brennan said Monday. The Outer Banks, in particular, should monitor the progress of Erin, the hurricane center advised, noting that in addition to rip currents, there is a risk of strong winds associated with the outer rainbands during the middle part of the week. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island. Along the Outer Banks, the National Weather Service warned of the potential for severe flooding to reach buildings and roads. Many roadways will likely be under several feet of water and inaccessible for several days due to the flooding. First hurricane of the Atlantic season Erin formed as a tropical storm last week 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. Erin strengthened to a hurricane on Friday. 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 that 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. NOAA forecasters predicted there could be between two and five major hurricanes in the Atlantic this season. Alaska Sen. 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Associated Press
an hour ago
- Climate
- Associated Press
Hurricane Erin's massive waves threaten to isolate North Carolina's Outer Banks
There's a popular T-shirt on Hatteras Island on the North Carolina Outer Banks that says: 'One road on. One road off (sometimes)' — poking fun at the constant battle between Mother Nature and a thin ribbon of pavement connecting the narrow barrier island to the rest of the world. Mother Nature is probably going to win this week. Hurricane Erin is forecast to move hundreds of miles offshore from the islands but the massive storm is still sending waves 20 feet (6 meters) or greater crashing over vulnerable sand dunes. Officials have ordered evacuations of Hatteras and Ocracoke islands even without a hurricane warning because that tiny ribbon of highway called NC 12 will likely be torn up and washed out in several places, isolating villages for days or weeks. The 3,500 or so Outer Bankers who live there have handled isolation before. But most of the tens of thousands of vacationers have not. 'We haven't seen waves of that size in a while and the vulnerable spots have only gotten weaker in the past five years,' said Reide Corbett, executive director of the Coastal Studies Institute, a group of several universities that study the Outer Banks. What are the Outer Banks? In a basic sense, they are sand dunes that were tall enough to stay above the ocean level when many of the Earth's glaciers melted 20,000 years ago. The barrier islands in some places are as far as 30 miles (48 kilometers) off mainland North Carolina. To the east is the vast Atlantic Ocean. To the west is the Pamlico Sound. 'Water, water everywhere. That really resonates on the Outer Banks,' Corbett said. The most built up and populated part of the Outer Banks are in the north around Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills, which aren't under the evacuation order. South of the Oregon Inlet, scoured out by a 1846 hurricane, is Hatteras Island, where the only connection to the mainland is the NC 12 highway. South of there is Ocracoke Island, accessible only by boat or plane. The first highways to reach the area were built more than 60 years ago. And the Outer Banks started booming, as it went from quaint fishing villages to what it is now, dotted with 6,000-square foot vacation homes on stilts. How do they maintain the highway? On a nice day, what look like snowplows and street sweeper brushes wait on the side of NC 12 to scoop and sweep away the constantly blowing sand. When the storms come, water from the ocean or the sound punch through the sand dunes and wash tons of sand and debris on the road. In more extreme cases, storms can break up the pavement or even create new inlets that require temporary bridges. It cost the North Carolina Department of Transportation more than $1 million a year in regular maintenance to keep NC 12 open during the 2010s. They also spent about $50 million over the decade on repairs after storms. But the state estimates Dare County, which includes most of the Outer Banks, brings in $2 billion in tourism revenue a year. So the cycle of clean up and repair continues. It can take time to fix things. Hurricane Isabel in 2003 and Hurricane Irene in 2011 both cut inlets into Hatteras Island and ferries were needed for two months. It can still take days to get NC 12 back open even after more routine Nor'easters. What about erosion in general? It's not just storms that impact the island. As the planet warms and polar ice melts, rising ocean levels threaten the Outer Banks. In a place where most of the land is only a few feet above sea level, every inch of sand counts. In Rodanthe, which sticks the farthest out into the Atlantic, the churning ocean has swallowed up more than a dozen homes since 2020. Officials think at least two unoccupied homes are likely to be lost if the waves from Erin are as strong as predicted. So why do people live on the Outer Banks? Shelli Miller Gates waited tables on the Outer Banks to earn money as a college student in the late 1970s. She remembers houses with no air conditioning, televisions or phones. And she adored it. 'I love the water. I love the wildness of it. It's the way I want to live my life,' the respiratory therapist said. It's a lifestyle embraced by many. The area's shorthand 'OBX' shows up in many places as a source of pride, including the first three letters on license plates issued by the state. The isolation contributes to a sense of community. Gates has seen people band together countless times when their connection to the outside world is severed. And there is always the allure of getting to live someplace where others just get to visit. 'There's things everywhere. There's earthquakes and lizards and floods. Looks at the poor people out in western North Carolina,' Gates said. 'There are so many things that can happen to you. I feel like you have to find the place that feels like home.' ___ Associated Press Journalist Ben Finley contributed to this report.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
What to know about powerful Hurricane Erin as it heads past the US East Coast
What to know about powerful Hurricane Erin as it heads past the US East Coast Island communities off the coast of North Carolina are bracing for flooding ahead of the year's first Atlantic hurricane, Hurricane Erin. Although forecasters are confident that the storm won't make direct landfall in the United States, authorities on a few islands along North Carolina's Outer Banks issued evacuation orders and warned that some roads could be swamped by waves of 15 feet (4.6 meters). By Monday night the storm's top sustained winds had dropped to 130 mph (210 kph) but it's still a major, dangerous hurricane. Tropical storm warnings were in effect for the southeast Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami. Here is what to know about Hurricane Erin. Storm surge, high winds expected along North Carolina's coast Forecasters say Erin will turn northeast — and away — from the eastern U.S. Still, the storm is expected to bring tropical storm force winds, dangerous waves and rip currents to North Carolina's coast. That is according to Dave Roberts of the National Hurricane Center. Coastal flooding in North Carolina is expected to begin Tuesday. Evacuations were being ordered on Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island along North Carolina's Outer Banks even though the storm is unlikely to make direct landfall. Authorities warned that some roads could be swamped by waves of 15 feet (4.6 meters). The orders come at the height of tourist season on the thin stretch of low-lying barrier islands that juts far into the Atlantic Ocean. 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. Portions of Highway 12 on Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands are most at risk for storm surge, National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan said. Erin's outer edges hit parts of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands with heavy rains and tropical-storm winds on Sunday, knocking out power for thousands. Potentially devastating impacts Storm surge is the level at which sea water rises above its normal level. Much like the way a storm's sustained winds do not include the potential for even stronger gusts, storm surge doesn't include the wave height above the mean water level. Surge is also the amount above what the normal tide is at a time, so a 15-foot storm surge at high tide can be far more devastating than the same surge at low tide. Government officials in the Turks and Caicos Islands, which has a population of just over 46,000, said all services were suspended on three of its islands and ordered residents there to stay home. The easternmost islands of the British territory have been most impacted by heavy rainfall and powerful winds. Bermuda won't feel the full intensity of the storm until Thursday evening, acting Minister of National Security Jache Adams said, and services on the island were still 'open for business" on Monday afternoon. But Adams issued a stark warning that storm surge, which could reach up to 24 feet (7.3 meters) by Thursday, would make waters too dangerous to swim, surf or boat in. A year ago, Hurricane Ernesto stayed hundreds of miles offshore from the U.S. Eastern seaboard yet still produced high surf and swells that caused coastal damage. Fluctuating strength Erin's strength has fluctuated significantly over the past week. The most common way to measure a hurricane's strength is the Saffir-Simpson Scale that assigns a category from 1 to 5 based on a storm's sustained wind speed at its center, with 5 being the strongest. Erin reached a dangerous Category 5 status Saturday with 160 mph (260 kph) winds before weakening. It is expected to remain a large, major hurricane into midweek. 'You're dealing with a major hurricane. The intensity is fluctuating. It's a dangerous hurricane in any event,' the hurricane center's Richard Pasch said. Lethal summer of floods Although Erin is the first Atlantic hurricane of the year, there have been four tropical storms this hurricane season already. Tropical Storm Chantal made the first U.S. landfall of the season in early July, and its remnants caused flooding in North Carolina that killed an 83-year-old woman when her car was swept off a rural road. And at least 132 people were killed in floodwaters that overwhelmed Texas Hill Country on the Fourth of July. Just over a week later, flash floods inundated New York City and parts of New Jersey, claiming two lives. Safiyah Riddle, The Associated Press
CBS News
an hour ago
- Climate
- CBS News
How will Hurricane Erin affect the Jersey Shore and Delaware beaches? Here's the weather forecast.
All eyes will be on major Hurricane Erin this week as the storm begins its northerly track toward the eastern seaboard. While the heart of the storm will likely stay well offshore (fortunately), we will have several impacts in the Philadelphia region, especially along the Jersey Shore and Delaware beaches. Here's how Hurricane Erin could affect the Jersey Shore and Delaware beaches: In addition, the wind gusts will likely peak on Thursday with gusts as high as 50 mph from the east, adding in the potential for beach erosion and flooding. Away from the coast, impacts from Erin will be limited. The bigger story will be the cool and cloudy pattern that we'll be stuck in through at least the first half of the week — highs only in the 70s with limited sun and the chance for spotty showers. A cool breeze will make it feel more like fall than August. We'll start to brighten up and warm up by the end of the week into the weekend as Erin moves away. Friday and Saturday are looking a bit warmer with highs in the 80s under sunny skies, with the possibility of more storms next Sunday. Tuesday: Mostly cloudy. High 76, Low 66. Wednesday: Partly sunny? High 80, Low 67. Thursday: Mostly sunny. High 79, Low 66. Friday: Mostly sunny. High 84, Low 63. Saturday: Partly sunny. High 84, Low 64. Sunday: Stray shower. High 84, Low 69. Monday: Partly cloudy. High 84, Low 67. NEXT Weather Radars Hourly Forecast
CBS News
2 hours ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Hurricane Erin forces Massachusetts beaches to close due to rip currents, strong waves
Hurricane Erin is forcing some beaches in Massachusetts to close as the storm causes rip currents and strong waves along the East Coast. The impacts from the hurricane are expected to start on Tuesday, with high surf advisories in effect until Tuesday. Waves are expected to reach up to 13 feet. "Ya, we take it seriously," said Luke Tasiapoulos from Scituate. "When you live around here in these areas, you take this stuff seriously." "It's kind of a bummer, I think, because I want to go to the beach, and it's the last week of summer for me. You want to be safe. You don't want to get caught in any rip currents or any big surf or anything," said surfer Broadey Bersford. It means a sour end to summer for families who wanted to go to two popular Scituate beaches, Peagotty and Minot, both of which are closed due to rough water conditions. Rip currents are expected to worsen in the coming days as well. "I had no idea the beach was closed," said Bersford. "I mean, I was surfing out there and the surf wasn't very good, the water was kind of warm, but you could see the rip currents in some of the spots, and you could see the difference in the water, and I was like, 'That could be dangerous.'" The last day Minot Beach will be staffed with lifeguards is on Wednesday, but Pegotty will have lifeguards until Labor Day. First responders say that the conditions from Hurricane Erin can complicate rescues, so they ask people to remain safe. Officials say they will be keeping an eye on the conditions each day. On Hampton Beach in New Hampshire, lifeguards rescued 144 people in six days because of rip currents. New Hampshire State Beach Patrol said that on August 12, there were 51 rescues. None of the victims needed medical attention, according to Patrol Chief Patrick Murphy. He did recommend that anyone wanting to go swimming this week should try to stay near a lifeguard and always follow their instructions. If you find yourself stuck in a rip current, do not try to swim straight to shore. Instead, try not to panic and swim parallel to shore. This will help you travel out of the rip current grip and not tire yourself out while trying to fight the current. Officials recommend swimming on beaches with lifeguards and understanding the signs of a rip current, which include a difference in water color, a narrow gap of calmer water around waves, foam or seaweed moving out to sea, and churning choppy water, according to the United States Lifeguard Association.
