HURRICANE THREATS

Hurricane Erin Surge & Shoreline Threat: What You Need to Know

Rapid Rise to Category 5

Hurricane Erin rapidly escalated from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in just over 24 hours, becoming one of the fastest-intensifying storms on record. Its peak intensity featured 160 mph winds and a deeply compact, powerful eye—an ominous sign of its destructive potential.CBS News+11The Independent+11FOX Weather+11People.com+2WGCU PBS & NPR for Southwest Florida+2

Rebounding at Sea

After a brief weakening to Category 3 due to an eyewall replacement, Erin has now re-strengthened to a Category 4 storm with sustained winds around 130–140 mph. It's currently tracking northward, positioned several hundred miles offshore of the U.S. East Coast.Reuters+1

Storm Size & Impacts

Erin's wind field is expanding dangerously, with hurricane-force winds stretching up to 80 miles from its center and tropical-storm winds covering an expansive 230-mile radius.Yahoo+14Houston Chronicle+14CBS News+14

Coastal Alert: Life-Threatening Surf, Rip Currents, & Flooding

• Outer Banks, North Carolina: Mandatory evacuation orders are in effect for Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands due to forecasts of 15-foot waves, major surf erosion, and inundated roads.AP News+2The Washington Post+2

• U.S. East Coast: From Florida to New England, dangerous surf and rip currents are expected, with wave heights reaching 7–10 feet in areas like Myrtle Beach and 12 feet near NYC’s shoreline. Beach erosion and coastal flooding are increasingly likely.Yahoo+14WYFF+14New York Post+14

Caribbean Strikes

Erin's outer bands have already unleashed heavy surf and tropical storm conditions across Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos, and the Bahamas. Flash flooding knocked out power for over 147,000 customers in Puerto Rico, though most service has since been restored.en.wikipedia.org+11theguardian.com+11abcnews.go.com+11

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Summary Table

Feature	Details
Category Status	Peaked at Cat 5, now strong Cat 4 off the U.S. East Coast
Wind Field	Hurricane winds up to 80 mi out; tropical winds up to 230 mi
Evacuations	Outer Banks (Hatteras, Ocracoke) under evacuation orders
Risks	High surf, rip currents, beach erosion, flooding, power outages
Historical Note	One of faste