Tropical Storm Erin Poised to Become Atlantic Season’s First Hurricane, Warns National Hurricane Center
Tropical Storm Erin emerged Monday in the eastern tropical Atlantic and could rapidly intensify to become the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season’s inaugural hurricane later this week, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
By Monday afternoon, Erin was located approximately 430 miles west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands, carrying sustained winds of 45 mph. The storm was tracking westward at 20 mph and is expected to maintain this general course for the coming days.
Forecasters anticipate a steady increase in Erin’s strength over the next few days. The NHC noted, “Erin could reach hurricane intensity by the latter part of the week.” However, the precise impacts remain uncertain as the storm moves closer to the northern Leeward Islands.
Erin’s path and intensity as the weekend approaches will largely hinge on its own development and the behaviour of the Bermuda High, a vast high-pressure system over the Atlantic that often guides tropical storms.
Currently, Erin is moving through the Atlantic’s so-called “main development region.” This area, stretching from the west coast of Africa to the Caribbean, is notorious for spawning tropical systems thanks to its warm ocean waters, especially during the peak months of the hurricane season.
This area has been the focus of attention, with the latest updates on Erin’s forecast and potential path available on the Tropical Storm Erin forecast page.
The National Hurricane Center further warns: “Erin could explode in strength once it reaches this very warm water and become the season’s first major hurricane, Category 3 or higher, as early as Saturday.”
August marks the beginning of the busiest period for tropical storms in the Atlantic, typically spanning from mid-August through mid-October. This season is shaping up to follow that pattern closely.
In other parts of the Atlantic and Pacific, Hurricane Henriette maintained Category 1 status in the central Pacific with sustained winds of 85 mph on Monday. The storm was positioned about 595 miles northwest of Honolulu and is expected to weaken over the next few days.
Meanwhile, the remnants of former Tropical Storm Ivo dissipated roughly 615 miles west of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, posing no threat to land, according to forecasters.
