Hurricane Erin predicts that it will avoid the United States, but it plans to bring “life-threatening” surfing and current conditions to the country’s east coast.
Hurricane Erin strengthens after hitting Puerto Rico
Hurricane Erin grows stronger after flooding Puerto Rico and knocking out its strength to 147,000 residents.
Hurricane Erin intensified and grew on Monday as people warned of the “life-threatening” RIP flow and surfing situation along the entire US East Coast this week.
After losing strength over the weekend, Erin returned to Category 4 storms with a maximum sustained wind of 140 mph, according to a 2pm consultation at the National Hurricane Centre. The forecast shows that the storm will grow as it strengthens further and gradually turns northward along the road between the US and Bermuda.
Erin, the first hurricane that formed this Atlantic season and became a major storm, was located 140 miles north of Grand Torque Island and 850 miles south-southeast of Hatteras Island. The external bank’s Barrier Island was placed under forced evacuation as it warned of possible floods and tropical storms.
Forecasters are expected to avoid the United States, but forecasters warn that it could lead to dangerous surfing. The Outer Banks faced the biggest threat, as coastal flooding could flood lowland islands by mid-week.
Outside the country, Turkeys, the Caicos Islands and parts of the Bahamas were introduced on Monday, with predictors warnings warning of possible “flashes and urban floods.”
It is expected that as the storm moves towards the North Atlantic, it will continue to grow in size. By Tuesday, dangerous surfing situations are expected across the eastern US coast, Hurricane Center director Michael Brennan said in an update to the storm.
“Being at the ocean wouldn’t be a safe environment,” he said, adding that the weather could be comfortable on the coast, but that a dangerous, life-threatening stream of rifts could be lurking in the water.
Stronger, bigger Hurricane Erin Prediction Creates dangerous surfing along the US Coast
Dare County, North Carolina, declared a state of emergency and ordered the evacuation of Hatteras Island, Outer Banks, on Monday.
Scripps News
When news of the evacuation order hit Hatteras Island, Fatty’s treats and tours were flooded with tourists complaining about shortening their holidays, said restaurant owner Jeff Dawson.
However, the island generally begins to air overnight at tourist season heights, with Dawson expecting it to close after lunch Monday. “We’ve had one table so far,” Dawson said at noon. “So, in general, there was absolutely nothing on a very busy day.”
County officials issued mandatory evacuation orders for residents starting at 8am Tuesday, but Dawson plans to hunt at his home. He said he fears that the trees might hit his house, but otherwise he doesn’t have any particular concern about Hurricane Erin. It has overcome countless storms since 1982.
Still, Dawson said he hopes to spend the next few days to help his neighbors get on the windows and clean up the trash.
“I won’t leave during the storm because I can do too much to help,” he said.
– n’dea yancey-bragg
In Jacksonville, ocean breakers are expected to be over seven feet from Tuesday, with peak waves at high tide on Wednesday, according to weather services.
Angela Enedy, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Jacksonville, said small coastal and tidal flooding is possible with “at least moderate beach erosion.” High water can flood boat ramps, parking lots and several campsites, she said.
The heights of the offshore waves are climbing in front of Erin’s path, as shown in the east-northeast of Nassau, the Bahamas, which rose to more than 18 feet Monday, as shown by a buoy east of Fort Pierce, Florida, about 400 miles east-northeast of Nassau, Bahamas. Further north, a buoy about 258 miles south of Cape Hatteras recorded waves over six feet tall, increasing the wave height of more than a foot the day before.
According to weather services, there is a threat to rifts on beaches along the coast before higher waves arrive. In eastern Florida, the Weather Service is hoping for rough pounding surfing with 5-8-foot breakers this week.
The dangers are far beyond Florida. Coastal weather services offices up to Maine are warning of dangerous beach conditions and potential coastal flooding.
Everyone on Hatteras Island in Outer Banks did not appear to have panic over Hurricane Erin, despite an evacuation order being mandated.
Angela Tars, co-owner of Connors supermarkets, said there are few signs of an imminent storm, except for longer than usual routes at gas stations.
“It’s beautiful outside. The sky is blue. It’s like 80 degrees. There’s no wind. It’s gorgeous,” Tawes told USA Today on Monday. “It’s really hard for people to think that a storm will come in a few days.”
Tars said he hopes to be evacuated Tuesday if any signs of a storm appear. “That’s when Chaos hit,” she said.
– Karissa Waddick
Nicholas Himebo and his girlfriend drove for a few hours over the weekend from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to the National Campground in the Outer Banks to relax and take over the beauty of the island’s beaches. But even days before Hurricane Erin urged an evacuation order, Himebo said he could notice the effects of the storm.
The couple temporarily entered the sea and hugged the shore due to a rift. You could be hit hard on the beach and strong winds could be felt throughout the island.
“The flow of the rifts was very strong and the wind was really sandblasting everything,” he told USA Today.
The couple left on Sunday afternoon, hours before forced evacuations were issued for two islands, Ocracoke and Hatteras. The Ocracoke ferries were already packed, and road traffic leading to the islands delayed the journey home for at least two hours for Himebaugh and his girlfriend.
“There was a steady stream of people trying to get off the island,” he said.
Erin is huge – It’ll grow bigger
Erin is a major storm and is expected to grow. As of Monday morning, the wind fields were about 397 miles in diameter. Additionally, Erin creates more than 10 feet of ocean in an area about 500 miles in diameter.
Erin ranks in the 80th percentile in terms of major hurricane storm sizes of the past decades, John Kangiarosi wrote in a 5am discussion at the National Hurricane Centre. Erin’s wind fields are expected to continue growing in the coming days as they continue to undergo eye wall replacement cycles.
The biggest hurricanes on record include the giant Hurricane Sandy of 2012. It was one of the largest known Atlantic hurricanes with a windy field spanning around 1,100 miles. The 1999 Hurricane Floyd was also very large, 580 miles in diameter.
– Doyle Rice
Two North Carolina counties declared a state of emergency and issued forced evacuation orders to some of the outer banks, a series of lowland islands in the Atlantic Ocean dotted with quaint villages and fishing towns.
Officials from DARE and Hyde County said Hurricane Erin would likely cause massive flooding and make it impossible to drive on Highway 12 that runs along the island. Authorities issued forced evacuations to visitors to Ocracoke and Hatteras Island. The mandatory order for residents was scheduled to come into effect Tuesday.
“Dangerous waves of more than 20 feet are likely to flood and destroy protected dune structures along the highway,” a Hyde County news release said. “We expect life-threatening swimming and surfing situations.”
The statement added that if Highway 12 is washed away by heavy waves, it is “very likely” that Hyde County emergency services will not be available. “Take this warning seriously, especially if you have medical issues or need special care,” the county said.
Additionally, the National Weather Service advised Outer Bank residents to consider moving their cars up high.
According to University of Oklahoma student and hurricane map maker Michael Ferragamo, a brief flirtation that caused Category 5 winds to blow over the weekend, the 11th Category 5 hurricane recorded in the Atlantic since 2016.
This is the largest amount of Category 5 hurricanes recorded over a nine-year period in the Hurricanes database (since 1851).
– Doyle Rice
Erin formed into a hurricane from a tropical storm on Friday. The next day, the storm quickly became stronger against a Category 5 hurricane, with a sustained low wind of 160 mph losing momentum and being downgraded to Category 3.
Over the weekend, the storm struck Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, causing tens of thousands of power outages, flight cancellations and closures across both islands. No deaths have been reported, and crews have regained power over most homes and businesses that have experienced a halt.
Erin then began a new period of strengthening. It could end up Tuesday with wind shear encounters, but predictors say it will remain a major hurricane.
Hurricane season will be busy, experts say
Dr. Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center, said he anticipated a busy hurricane season and urged people to start preparing.
Hurricane Erin is expected to follow a path familiar to many as massive storms move north parallel to the US coast.
Dozens of hurricanes have been doing similar trekking in recent years, testing the nerves of millions waiting to wait to see if the storm is destined to make a sharp left turn or wobble towards the coast. Even if they don’t polish or land on the coast, such storms can be fatal and cause millions of dollars in damage.
Many lives remained offshore, but were lost during hurricanes that created rough waves and deceptive situations that could hide dangerous RIP currents. Over the course of a decade, roughly 10-15% of all deaths in tropical storms and hurricanes were attributed to RIP currents, according to the Hurricane Center.
Hurricane Erin’s rainband tied Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands over the weekend with heavy rain, leading to power outages and temporary closures.
More than 150,000 homes and businesses have lost their power in Puerto Rico, most of which have recovered, according to Luma Energy.
“Today, we should overcome the effects of wind and rain brought about by Hurricane Erin, who we are grateful to God.
Over the weekend, almost all of St. Thomas, the Virgin Islands, had no electricity, but workers were able to restore electricity to most of the island within hours.
Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1st and continues until the end of November.
The Atlantic Basin includes the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of America, once known as the Gulf of Mexico. Based on the 30-year climate period from 1991 to 2020, the average Atlantic hurricane season has 14 storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes, the National Hurricane Centre said.
Aggressive hurricane weather usually peaks between mid-August and mid-October.
