Hurricane Erin, currently a Category 4 hurricane, is approaching the Bahamas, where warnings for strong winds, flooding, and storm conditions are in effect—also extending to the Turks and Caicos Islands.
While the hurricane is expected to spare the U.S. Atlantic coastline, swells with dangerous surf and rip currents have already reached the Bahamas and will begin to affect Florida in the coming days as well as the rest of the U.S. East Coast, including Bermuda and Atlantic Canada as Erin moves north.
On its website, the National Weather Service (NWS – www.weather.gov) in Melbourne, Florida, states: “The forecast cone continues to take the storm east of Florida, but coastal impacts are forecast. Deteriorating surf, rip current, and boating conditions will reach our coast starting Monday and will peak Tuesday through Thursday.”
Meanwhile, another tropical depression has formed in Erin’s wake, and a tropical storm could develop later this week. This system should be closely monitored, as the National Hurricane Center estimates a 50% chance it could strengthen into a significant tropical storm, which would be named Fernand.
