Hurricane Milton last October was the last hurricane to reach Category 5 strength. (Credit: NOAA)
The first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season will track up the East Coast this week, causing high surf, dangerous riptides and coastal flooding in low-lying areas.
Hurricane Erin intensified from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in under 30 hours this weekend, and it moved from a Category 3 hurricane to a Category 5 in just 6 hours. It’s one of the fastest intensifications recorded in the Atlantic.
Erin weakened to a Category 3 as it moved through the Caribbean over the weekend and has brought wind and heavy rain to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It strengthened to a Category 4 again this morning.
Erin is not forecasted to make U.S. landfall, but it is expected to track up the East Coast this week. Coastal states could see high surf and dangerous rip currents as well as some coastal flooding in low-lying areas. In North Carolina, officials have order the evacuation of Hatteras and Ocracoke islands ahead of Erin’s approach.
“Major hurricanes can produce massive waves,” Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane expert with AccuWeather, said in a statement. “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. Waves reaching 10 to 15 feet along the Outer Banks could cause beach erosion problems next week.”
Erin is the first Category 5 hurricane since Milton last October. It’s also one of only five hurricanes to reach wind speeds of at least 145 mph before Aug. 16 since 1970.
Weather experts expect this hurricane season to mimic last year’s record-setting one. AccuWeather is predicting 13 to 18 named storms this season, including seven to 10 hurricanes and three to five major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher. They’re also predicting three to six direct impacts to the United States this year.
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.