Coastal flooding and life-threatening RIP currents are expected this week as Hurricane Elinbarrel heading towards the East Coast, with predictors warning that a powerful storm could unleash 100 feet (30 meters) of waves.
Hurricane Erin appeared over the weekend as the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, rapidly raging on Saturday (August 16) and became Category 5, the strongest type of hurricane on the Safir Simpson-esque scale. Erin is then weakened and strengthened again, and at the time of writing it is Category 4 with a sustained wind speed of around 130 mph (215 km/h).
The Tropical Storm is located just east of the Bahamas in the southeast and is expected to travel between Bermuda and the East Coast by the middle of the week, according to an update by the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) that was released on Monday (August 18th). Erin is not planning to land, but dangerous waves and floods could threaten the coastline.
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On Sunday (August 17), the National Weather Service issued coastal flood monitoring on the East Coast, with flood forecasts being made as early as Tuesday (August 19). The Outer Banks Islands off the coast of North Carolina are expected to be particularly vulnerable. Dare County, which includes most of the Outer Bank, issued an emergency on Sunday with a mandatory evacuation order to Hatteras Island in anticipation of flooding.
And the passage of storm cries can give extra energy to wind-driven waves, allowing enough energy to reach enormous heights.
“The latest predictions certainly show that the maximum significant wave height can reach values above 50 feet, indicating that the most likely associated maximum wave is likely to exceed 100 feet.
The NHC also warned that hurricanes will lead to dangerous marine conditions affecting the Bahamas, Bermuda, the East Coast and Atlantic Canada in the coming days. “These rough sea conditions are likely to cause life-threatening waves and rifts,” the representative wrote in the update.
Related: Here’s why storm surges during hurricanes can be devastating
A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone, or a rapidly rotating storm that forms over tropical oceans. According to NOAA, for tropical cyclones to be classified as hurricanes, they must generate maximum sustained wind speeds above 74 mph (119 km/h). There are five more categories of hurricanes, defined by increasing wind speeds from a hurricane threshold of 74 mph (category 1) to 157 mph (252 km/h) or above (category 5).
Hurricane Erin has climbed the Hurricane category from Category 1 on Friday (August 15th) to Category 5 on Saturday. After that, on Sunday (August 17th) the weekend I went to Category 3 and picked up steam again.
As climate change increases temperatures in the atmosphere and ocean, more hurricanes are rapidly strengthening in the Atlantic Ocean. Since March 2023, average sea surface temperatures around the world have broken records, and warming is adding extra energy as hurricanes grow.
As Category 4, Erin is considered a major hurricane with sustained wind speeds of 130-156 mph (209-251 km/h) that, if it has its path, cause “catastrophic damage” to the property. The Hurricane also has strong winds stretching out about 230 miles (370 km) and around 80 miles (130 km) outside, according to an NHC update.
Forecasters hope that the hurricane will be reinforced again on Monday. Regardless of this variation, however, Erin will continue to be a major hurricane pose a significant risk.
“While some weakenings that begin tonight are predicted, Erin will remain a major, large and dangerous hurricane until mid-week,” a representative for the NHC wrote.
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