Home / Weather / Powerful Hurricane Erin Barrels Toward US East Coast
Powerful Hurricane Erin Barrels Toward US East Coast
19 Aug
Summary
- Hurricane Erin strengthens to Category 3 storm
- Evacuations underway along North Carolina's Outer Banks
- Erin expected to pass east of Bahamas, then move between US and Bermuda
As of August 19, 2025, Hurricane Erin has strengthened into a powerful Category 3 storm, with maximum sustained winds near 115 mph. The hurricane, which previously caused flooding and power outages in Puerto Rico, is now forecast to "substantially grow in size" as it moves over the western Atlantic Ocean.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Erin is currently located about 750 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The storm is expected to take a northward turn on Tuesday, August 19, followed by a northeastward motion on Thursday. Erin's center is forecast to pass to the east of the Bahamas on Tuesday and then move between the US East Coast and Bermuda on Wednesday and Thursday.
Residents along the Atlantic Coast from Central Florida to Canada are bracing for big waves and rough surf, with evacuations underway in at least two of the islands along North Carolina's Outer Banks. The National Weather Service has issued a storm surge watch for the area, warning of the potential for life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland. Storm surge in this region could reach 2 to 4 feet.
In addition to Erin, the National Hurricane Center is also tracking two other systems in the Atlantic that could develop into tropical depressions or storms in the coming days. These systems are expected to move westward, potentially impacting the Leeward Islands and the Cabo Verde Islands.
