Aug. 13, 2025
By Sam Walker
SamWalkerOBXNews.com
While it is still too early to know the exact path of what is expected to be the season’s first hurricane, the Outer Banks will likely experience rip currents, some ocean overwash and beach erosion next week from Erin.
The fifth tropical cyclone of 2025 formed off the west coast of Africa on Monday but has been battling dry air and cooler water temperatures over the last 48 hours.
Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center said Wednesday evening that Erin is starting to move into a more favorable environment and are calling for it to reach hurricane status sometime on Friday.
Erin is expected to reach major status of category 3 or higher over the weekend, with maximum sustained winds forecast to reach 120 mph in the core by Monday.
However, the track of the storm is much less certain beyond the next five days.
“(T)here is a greater than normal uncertainty about what impacts Erin may bring to portions of the Bahamas, the east coast of the United States, and Bermuda,” NHC said in their forecast discussion Wednesday evening.
But the hurricane center said there is increasing confidence that the risk of dangerous surf and rip currents along the Outer Banks and the rest of the coast is increasing.
