Erin Could Be First Hurricane, Impacts Caribbean, East Coast

Tropical Storm Erin is gathering strength in the eastern Atlantic and is forecast to become the season’s first hurricane by Friday, with forecasters warning that even if it does not make landfall in the United States, it will bring rough seas, dangerous rip currents and heavy rainfall to parts of the Caribbean and the U.S. East Coast over the next several days. The storm’s center is expected to move generally westward before turning northwest, potentially brushing near the northern Leeward Islands this weekend.

As of early estimates, Erin was packing maximum sustained winds near 45 to 50 mph and moving west at roughly 17 to 20 mph. The hurricane center cautioned that gradual strengthening is likely over the next day or so, with more significant intensification possible on Friday and Saturday. The latest forecast indicates Erin could approach or move just north of the northern Leeward Islands over the weekend, a track that would spare the U.S. mainland but raise the risk of rough surf and rip currents for Caribbean beaches and Atlantic-facing shores.

Forecasters emphasize that swells generated by Erin are expected to affect parts of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin...