Where is Hurricane Erin going to hit? First hurricane of Atlantic season prompts flood watches, coastal warnings issued
Hurricane Erin: Authorities have issued tropical storm watches for Anguilla, Barbuda, and St. Martin, potentially delivering heavy rain and strong winds.
Erin has become the first hurricane of the Atlantic season and massive waves and strong currents could be seen along the US East Coast, with authorities issuing high alert for heavy rain in several areas.
Hurricane Erin was a Category 4 storm on Saturday morning, with highest sustained winds of 130 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Strong winds are impacting neighboring islands, causing forecasters to warn of potential flooding and landslides even though it is not yet expected to reach land. Eventually, the NHC warned that it would veer away from the mainland US.
Hurricane Erin tracker: Which areas are under tropical storm watches?
Anguilla, Barbuda, St. Martin, and St. Barts are all under tropical storm watches, which could bring winds and precipitation over the course of the next 48 hours.
Erin may deliver up to 6 inches of rain on Friday and Saturday as it passes close to or north of the Leeward Islands on Saturday.
Erin is expected to travel north of Puerto Rico this weekend and it may even get stronger by Sunday morning. The US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico may receive 2 to 4 inches of rain on Saturday and Sunday from the outer bands of this storm. This could cause isolated flash floods, possible mudslides, and strong winds of 40 to 50 mph.
Large waves and potentially lethal rip currents are still predicted to approach the shore between August 20 and August 27, but most weather forecasts still place Erin hundreds of miles off the U.S. East shore.
In addition to being a risk to anyone entering the seas, erosion poses a significant risk to coastal property, particularly around North Carolina's Outer Banks. Waves of 8 to 12 feet could hit the Outer Banks and other sections of North Carolina next week, while waves as high as 6 feet could hit other regions of South Carolina and Virginia.
Despite the possibility of powerful waves along the East Coast, a cold front that is sweeping off the coast of America is predicted to keep Erin out to sea and deliver below-normal temperatures to the Northeast next week.
The Atlantic hurricane season, which is most active in August, September, and October, continues until November 30 .
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200 employees deployed in Puerto Rico
The US territory is under a flood watch from late Friday into Monday, prompting the government to send over 200 staff from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other agencies to Puerto Rico as a caution.
As many as 367 shelters have been assessed and may be opened if necessary, according to Puerto Rico Housing Secretary Ciary Pérez Peña.
On Friday, the US Coast Guard announced that it had prohibited all approaching vessels from entering six seaports in Puerto Rico and two in the US Virgin Islands unless they had prior authorization.
Advisory issued for Bahamas
Meanwhile, Bahamas officials advised citizens to follow updates about the hurricane and stated that they have set up a few evacuation centers as a precaution.
The managing director for the disaster risk management authority of the Bahamas, Aarone Sargent, stated that "these storms are very volatile and can make sudden shifts in movement."
