Article first published: Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, 4 a.m. ET

Article last updated: Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, 7 p.m. ET

System type: Hurricane, Category 2

System name: Erin

At 7 p.m. Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center issued an advisory stating that Category 2 Hurricane Erin is in the Atlantic Ocean, 245 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras North Carolina and 490 miles west of Bermuda. The hurricane is moving to the north at 14 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph.

“… the center of Erin will move over the western Atlantic between the U.S. east coast and Bermuda tonight and early Friday, and then pass south of Atlantic Canada Friday and Saturday”, analysts wrote about the hurricane. They also said “Weakening is likely to begin by Friday, but Erin is forecast to remain a hurricane into the weekend.”

Yesterday (Tuesday)

Erin found new strength and has evolved from a Category 3 hurricane into a Category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 110 mph. Northward under a tropical storm watch, forecasters report.

Watches and warnings currently in effect

• Storm Surge Warning for Cape Lookout to Duck, North Carolina

• Tropical Storm Warning for Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina to Chincoteague, Virginia, including Pamlico and Albemarle sounds.

• Tropical Storm Watch for Bermuda

Meaning of the different watches and warnings

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case within the next 24 hours.

A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.

A Storm Surge Warning means there is a danger of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, during the next 36 hours in the indicated locations. For a depiction of areas at risk, please see the National Weather Service Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov. This is a life-threatening situation. Persons located within these areas should take all necessary actions to protect life and property from rising water and the potential for other dangerous conditions. Promptly follow evacuation and other instructions from local officials.

Interests in Atlantic Canada should monitor the progress of Erin.

Hazards affecting land

Wind. Tropical storm conditions are expected over portions of the North Carolina Outer Banks and the Virginia coastline beginning in the next several hours. Elsewhere along the mid-Atlantic and southern New England coast, wind gusts to tropical storm force are likely Thursday through early Friday. Tropical storm conditions are possible on Bermuda Thursday and Friday.

Surf. Swells generated by Erin will affect the Bahamas, Bermuda, the east coast of the United States, and Atlantic Canada during the next several days. These rough ocean conditions are expected to cause life-threatening surf and rip currents.

A depiction of rip current risk for the United States can be found at: hurricanes.gov/graphics_at5.shtml?ripCurrents

Storm surge. The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide…

Cape Lookout to Duck, North Carolina…2 to 4 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast where the surge will be accompanied by large and dangerous waves. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances.

For a complete depiction of areas at risk of storm surge inundation, please see the National Weather Service Peak Storm Surge Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at5.shtml?peakSurge.

Rainfall. The outer bands of Erin may bring up to 1 inch of rainfall to the Outer Banks of North Carolina this afternoon into Thursday.

For a complete forecast of rainfall and flash flooding associated with Erin, please see the National Weather Service Storm Total Rainfall Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at5.shtml?rainqpf

Source: National Hurricane Center