Puerto Rico - Hurricane Erin rapidly intensified to a Category 5 storm in the Caribbean on Saturday, rising from a tropical storm in about 24 hours, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Although its center wasn’t expected to make landfall, Erin could bring heavy rains capable of causing flash floods, landslides, and mudslides as it grew larger. NHC director Mike Brennan said Erin quickly became a “very powerful hurricane,” increasing winds from 100 mph to 160 mph in roughly nine hours.
Erin’s position was about 105 miles north of Anguilla, moving west at 17 mph. The storm’s center was forecast to stay at sea, remaining north of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Tropical-storm watches were issued for St Martin, St Barts, and St Maarten. Heavy rainfall and strong winds could affect these and nearby areas, with gusts possible at the Turks and Caicos Islands and southeast Bahamas.
Despite its small size, Erin’s hurricane-force winds stretched 30 miles from its center, and the storm was expected to grow in size in the coming days. This could generate dangerous rip currents off parts of the U.S. East Coast later in the week, even as the eye stays offshore. Regions at higher risk include North Carolina’s Outer Banks, Long Island, and Cape Cod. AccuWeather noted that rapid intensification is linked to climate change, driven by warmer ocean temperatures and increased atmospheric moisture, which fuel stronger storms with more rainfall. (Jamaica Gleaner)
