Erin becomes a Category 5 hurricane in Atlantic
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Over the weekend, northern portions of the Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico are expected to receive tropical rain ranging from 2 to 4 inches, with isolated totals up to 6 inches. Flash flooding, landslides and mudslides will be the main concerns over the next several days.
Erin has become the first hurricane of the Atlantic season with strong waves and rip currents possible along the East Coast of the United States as early as next week.
Erin’s sustained winds increased to 70 mph, just 4 mph shy of hurricane strength. The hurricane center said Erin should continue to strengthen through the weekend, when it should be moving near or north of the Leeward Islands, according to the official forecast path.
Hurricane Erin raced from a Category 1 to a Category 5 storm. If Erin keeps ramping up, is there a Category 6?
Tropical Storm Erin -- which is forecast to strengthen into the first hurricane of the Atlantic season by Saturday morning -- won't have a direct impact on the U.S., but it will bring dangerous rip currents to the East Coast.