Hurricane season is well and truly here.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 all the way to November 30 and the latest storm headed towards the US is Hurricane Erin.
The hurricane has been intense from the very beginning and was initially reported to be a Category 1 hurricane after hitting wind speeds of 75mph. Within 24 hours, this had hiked a rare Category 5 hurricane, CNN reports, making it one of only 43 Category 5 hurricanes on record in the Atlantic.
Per the National Weather Service, Category 5 hurricanes are storms that reach wind speeds of 130 to 150mph which can cause ‘catastrophic damage’.
“Well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and/or some exterior walls,” it goes on to warn.
“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.”
In light of the intensity of the storm, the National Hurricane Center was forced to issue an urgent warning on Saturday (August 16).
One of its key messages stated: “Erin is expected to produce life-threatening surf and rip currents along the beaches of the Bahamas, much of the east coast of the US, and Atlantic Canada next week.”
AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva has shared more details on what to expect.
“Erin is forecast to slowly curve to the north as it continues to strengthen over the weekend. At this time, the storm is forecast to remain hundreds of miles off the East Coast,” DaSilva said.
“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,” the weather expert added.
Hurricane Erin quickly turned into a Category 5 hurricane (NOAA via Getty Images)
Protruding coastal areas are at highest risk. These include North Carolina’s Outer Banks, Long Island, New York, and Cape Cod, Massachusetts, says AccuWeather.
While still dangerous, the storm had dropped to a Category 3 storm by the early hours of Sunday morning (August 17).
It is forecast to return to a Category 5 storm however, says CNN.
Sadly Hurricane Erin isn’t the only intense storm that’s expected to seriously affect America in the coming months.
This hurricane season will reportedly be ‘above average’. Earlier this year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecast that there will be 13 to 19 named Atlantic storms in 2025, which is higher than historical averages.
