An urgent warning has been issued as Hurricane Erin tracks closer to the United States.
Hurricane Erin has exploded into one of the most powerful storms on record, threatening the East Coast with life-threatening surf, rip currents, and widespread disruption.
According to CNN, the storm, which first hit hurricane strength with winds of 75 mph, intensified at a rare speed.
It reached Category 5 on Saturday (August 16) with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph. That makes it one of just 43 Category 5 storms ever recorded in the Atlantic.
Category 5 hurricanes, defined by winds of 130 to 150 mph or higher, can cause what the National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center warn is “catastrophic damage".
It notes: “Well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and/or some exterior walls. Most trees will be snapped or uprooted, and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas.
"Power outages will last weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months," they added.
By early Sunday (August 17), Erin weakened to a Category 3 but is forecast to regain Category 5 strength as it tracks northward. Its massive wind field is already stretching outward hundreds of miles, bringing dangerous seas and high winds across the Caribbean.
Per The Independent, the storm’s outer bands thrashed Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands over the weekend, knocking out power to about 147,000 customers, canceling more than 20 flights, and forcing the U.S. Coast Guard to temporarily shut ports.
Tropical storm conditions also extended into the Turks and Caicos and the southeast Bahamas.
AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva warned: “Beaches along the entire East Coast, from Florida to New England and Atlantic Canada, will likely experience rough surf and dangerous rip currents as Erin tracks north and eventually northeast.”
Protruding coastal areas, including North Carolina’s Outer Banks, Long Island, and Cape Cod, also face the greatest risk.
Dare County, North Carolina, has already declared an emergency and ordered evacuations for Hatteras Island on the Outer Banks, where officials warned that waves and high winds could wash out parts of N.C. Highway 12.
Richard Pasch of the NHC cautioned: “You’re dealing with a major hurricane. The intensity is fluctuating. It’s a dangerous hurricane in any event.”
Scientists say Erin’s rapid intensification is another alarming signal of climate change.
Warmer oceans and higher atmospheric moisture are fueling storms to strengthen faster and unleash heavier rains, according to climate experts.
This year’s Atlantic hurricane season, which runs through November 30, is forecast to be “above average,” with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicting 13 to 19 named storms, well above historical norms.
With Erin already rewriting records and expanding in size, forecasters warn that even without a direct landfall, its reach will be felt from the Caribbean to Canada’s Atlantic coast in the days ahead.