WASHINGTON: Hurricane Erin has intensified into a category 4 storm as it approaches the Caribbean.
The US National Hurricane Center reported sustained winds reaching 145 miles per hour by Saturday morning.
Located northeast of Anguilla, Erin is the first major hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season.
“Continued rapid strengthening is expected today,“ the NHC warned in its latest advisory.
Tropical storm watches are active for St Martin, St Barthelemy, and Sint Maarten.
Forecasters predict the storm will pass just north of the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico.
Isolated areas could receive up to six inches of rain, raising flood and landslide risks.
Dangerous swells will affect the northern Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico through the weekend.
The Bahamas, Bermuda, and the US East Coast may face life-threatening surf early next week.
Erin is expected to turn northward by late Sunday but remain offshore from the US coastline.
Meteorologists warn of potential coastal erosion and hazardous waves in places like North Carolina.
This year’s Atlantic hurricane season is predicted to be more active than usual.
Last year, Hurricane Helene caused over 200 deaths in the southeastern US.
Budget cuts to NOAA under the Trump administration have raised concerns about storm forecasting accuracy.
Scientists link rising sea temperatures to stronger and faster-developing hurricanes. – AFP
