Tropical Storm Erin had sustained winds of 45 mph (72 kph) Monday morning and was expected to intensify gradually, possibly reaching hurricane strength by Wednesday evening
read more
Tropical Storm Erin formed Monday (August 11) in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and could strengthen into the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season within days, forecasters said.
The storm, located just west of Africa’s Cabo Verde islands, is the fifth named storm of the season. Erin had sustained winds of 45 mph (72 kph) Monday morning and was expected to intensify gradually, possibly reaching hurricane strength by Wednesday evening, according to the US National Hurricane Center, CNN reported.
Erin is moving west across the “main development region”, which is the stretch of the Atlantic from Africa to the Caribbean where warm waters help fuel tropical systems. It will take most of the week to reach the western Atlantic, and it is too early to determine what threat it may pose to the Caribbean, Bermuda or the United States.
The storm’s path later this week will depend partly on the strength and position of the Bermuda high, a large area of high pressure over the Atlantic that often steers tropical systems. Sea surface temperatures in the western Atlantic are well above normal, providing energy for rapid intensification. While not as hot as the record-breaking waters of 2023 and 2024, the current warmth is still higher than it would be without human-driven climate change, forecasters said.
Erin could reach major hurricane status (Category 3 or higher) as early as Saturday if it encounters optimal conditions.
This year’s Atlantic season has so far produced four tropical storms, namely Andrea, Barry, Chantal and Dexter, but no hurricanes. Historically, the first hurricane forms around August 11, though recent years have seen storms develop earlier. At this time last year, the season had already produced hurricanes Beryl and Debby, with a third called Ernesto about to form.
The hurricane center is also watching two other areas of the open Atlantic with low chances of development this week, another sign that activity in the basin is increasing.
