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| Hurricane Erin gathers force as it nears Leeward Islands | Hurricane Erin gathers force as it nears Leeward Islands |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Hurricane intensifies to category 4 storm with strong winds and heavy rain expected to cause flooding and landslides | Hurricane intensifies to category 4 storm with strong winds and heavy rain expected to cause flooding and landslides |
| Hurricane Erin has intensified into a category 4 storm as it churns its way over the Atlantic, brushing past islands in the north-east Caribbean. | Hurricane Erin has intensified into a category 4 storm as it churns its way over the Atlantic, brushing past islands in the north-east Caribbean. |
| The National Hurricane Center (NHC), in Miami, said on Saturday that Erin was still not expected to hit land in the US and would swerve away, but forecasters have warned that strong winds and heavy rain could cause flooding and landslides on nearby islands. | |
| The storm was expected to strengthen further, according to the NHC, and could become a category 5 hurricane. | The storm was expected to strengthen further, according to the NHC, and could become a category 5 hurricane. |
| At the time of publication, the storm was 150 miles north-east of Anguilla, recording maximum wind speeds of 145mph. It was moving west-north-west at 20mph and was expected to pass near the Leeward Islands on Saturday, bringing 2-4in of rain to some areas, with up to 6in in the heaviest downpours. | At the time of publication, the storm was 150 miles north-east of Anguilla, recording maximum wind speeds of 145mph. It was moving west-north-west at 20mph and was expected to pass near the Leeward Islands on Saturday, bringing 2-4in of rain to some areas, with up to 6in in the heaviest downpours. |
| The storm’s outer bands of rain were beginning to affect some islands, and more rain was expected on Sunday, NHC forecasters said. | The storm’s outer bands of rain were beginning to affect some islands, and more rain was expected on Sunday, NHC forecasters said. |
| “Swells generated by Erin will affect portions of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, and the Turks and Caicos Islands through the weekend,” the NHC said. | “Swells generated by Erin will affect portions of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, and the Turks and Caicos Islands through the weekend,” the NHC said. |
| The swells would spread to the Bahamas, Bermuda and along the east coast of the US early next week, it said, warning of rough ocean conditions and “life-threatening” rip currents. | The swells would spread to the Bahamas, Bermuda and along the east coast of the US early next week, it said, warning of rough ocean conditions and “life-threatening” rip currents. |
| The winds had more than doubled in speed in the past 24 hours, from a 70mph tropical storm on Friday to a 145mph category 4 on Saturday. | |
| Tropical storm watches were in place for the northern Leeward Islands of St Martin, St Barts, Anguilla and Barbuda, with rainy conditions possible there for the next 48 hours. | Tropical storm watches were in place for the northern Leeward Islands of St Martin, St Barts, Anguilla and Barbuda, with rainy conditions possible there for the next 48 hours. |
| Erin is the first major Atlantic hurricane of the 2025 season and is expected to strengthen as it passes over warmer-than-normal ocean temperatures. A major hurricane is one that reaches at least category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. | Erin is the first major Atlantic hurricane of the 2025 season and is expected to strengthen as it passes over warmer-than-normal ocean temperatures. A major hurricane is one that reaches at least category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. |
| “By the middle of next week, Erin is forecast to at least double or triple in size, which will result in rough ocean conditions over the western Atlantic,” the NHC said. | “By the middle of next week, Erin is forecast to at least double or triple in size, which will result in rough ocean conditions over the western Atlantic,” the NHC said. |
| This rapid intensification is happening more frequently as global temperatures rise due to global heating. | This rapid intensification is happening more frequently as global temperatures rise due to global heating. |