Tropical Storm Erin has formed and appears likely to become the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season – and the forecast shows it could strike the US.
Erin was named on Monday, and as of 11am ET Tuesday was 820 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands.
The storm was traveling west at 23mph and is predicted to continue in that direction through early Thursday.
It has maximum sustained winds of 45mph, and could become a hurricane by late Thursday.
‘Continued strengthening is forecast after that time, and the NHC forecast continues to show Erin becoming a major hurricane by day 5 (early Sunday),’ stated the National Hurricane Center on Tuesday morning.
It has a ‘west-northwestward’ motion that could continue into the weekend, that puts it on the path of the US.
‘Although it is still too early to know exactly what impacts Erin might bring to the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, the risk has increased for Erin to move closer to these islands over the weekend,’ stated the center.
‘Interests there should monitor the progress of this storm.’
There were no coastal warnings or watches in place as of the Tuesday morning update.
But Erin brought flash flooding to the Cabo Verde Islands over the weekend as it developed into a tropical storm.
AccuWeather meteorologists remain ‘highly concerned for a period of rapid strengthening from late this week to this weekend’, said the organization’s chief on-air meteorologist, Bernie Rayno.
If Erin continues on its westerly path, it could sweep across the Leeward Islands.
Erin could lose some of its wind intensity in the next 24 to 48 hours, but that is only expected to happen for a short time before it regains strength.
A tropical storm turns into a hurricane when its maximum sustained winds get to at least 74mph.
There is a 50% chance of this hurricane season, which runs June 1 to the end of November, being above normal.
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