Hurricane Erin is making its way across the Atlantic, prompting North Carolina officials to declare a state of emergency and advise residents and visitors to evacuate certain areas due to its status as a formidable Category 4 hurricane.
This storm marks the first major hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season and is already one for the record books. Over the weekend, Erin quickly escalated from a Category 1 to a Category 5 hurricane, boasting maximum winds of 160 mph.
The outer rain bands from Hurricane Erin are beginning to impact the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, where tropical storm warnings have been issued, including a Tropical Storm watch for the Central Bahamas.
Though the storm is anticipated to remain offshore from the U.S., authorities warn of perilous surfing conditions and dangerous rip currents affecting southeastern and northeastern Florida, extending up to New England.
On Sunday, Dare County officials in North Carolina declared a state of emergency. They issued mandatory evacuations for Hatteras Island, which encompasses unincorporated areas like Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, and Frisco.
“Now is the time to secure your property, finalize your plans, and evacuate with your essentials,” the county stated in a Facebook post. “Please heed the guidance from officials and property managers.”
A similar situation unfolded in Hyde County, where officials declared an emergency on Ocracoke Island due to anticipated flooding from Hurricane Erin.
Mandatory evacuation orders for visitors began Sunday evening, while residents were expected to vacate starting Tuesday morning.
“While Hurricane Erin is likely to stay far off our coast, the scale of the storm is increasing and could pose life-threatening risks along the Ocracoke shoreline, particularly making it difficult to traverse Highway 12,” officials noted in a statement.
The National Weather Service office in Newport/Morehead City is monitoring surf conditions and coastal flooding ahead of Hurricane Erin’s arrival.
They expect waves of 7-12 feet in the surf zone, with significant flooding likely in low-lying coastal areas.
As of the latest report from the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Erin is sustaining winds of 130 mph, placing it firmly in Category 4 territory.
Additional strengthening is projected for Monday, although some weakening may occur later that night. Nonetheless, Hurricane Erin is expected to remain a significant threat into the middle of the week.
The hurricane’s winds extend up to 80 miles from its center, while tropical storm winds reach as far as 230 miles.
As of now, Erin is located about 900 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and is moving northwest. The NHC anticipates the hurricane will gradually shift northward on Monday and Tuesday.
It is expected that the core of Hurricane Erin will pass east of the southeastern Bahamas on Monday, positioning itself between the U.S. East Coast and Bermuda later in the week.
Western rain bands from the storm are anticipated to bring heavy rainfall to the Turks and Caicos Islands and parts of the Bahamas until Tuesday.
Additional rainfall could range from 2-4 inches, with some areas seeing 6 inches or more.
The swells generated by Hurricane Erin will impact the Bahamas, Bermuda, the U.S. East Coast, and Atlantic Canada in the coming days, posing risks of dangerous waves and rip currents.
Moreover, storm surges may cause minor flooding in the Turks and Caicos Islands and along coastal areas of the Bahamas.
Hurricane Erin Causes Turbulence in the Caribbean
This weekend proved to be quite stressful for residents in the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as Hurricane Erin moved northward.
Although the hurricane did not directly hit any land, its effects were felt widely.
Fox Weather Correspondent Robert Ray reported from St. Thomas, where strong winds and heavy rain caused power outages and flooding.
Tortola in the British Virgin Islands saw over 10 inches of rain, while Puerto Rico experienced more than 4 inches in certain areas, leading to widespread blackouts.
Tropical Storm force gusts were recorded across the region, with Tortola experiencing gusts up to 65 mph and Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas registering gusts of 51 mph.
Many ports closed, and numerous flights were either canceled or delayed ahead of Hurricane Erin’s approach over the weekend.
