Tropical storm brews in the Atlantic, posing a potential hazard to Caribbean islands
The first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, named "Erin," is currently approximately 750 kilometers from the English-speaking Leeward Islands, and it is expected to approach islands such as Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Kitts and Nevis, as well as Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the British Virgin Islands.
Potential Impacts:
As Erin passes nearby, these islands may experience heavy rain, strong winds, and dangerous coastal swells. Puerto Rico and nearby islands have already experienced heavy rain and strong winds, with sustained wind speeds of up to 160 mph when Erin was northeast of Puerto Rico. Coastal swelling and dangerous surf are also expected to affect many islands, increasing risks of coastal flooding, beach erosion, and hazards to marine activities.
Tropical storm and hurricane-force winds extended far from Erin’s center, meaning these islands faced peripheral wind effects, which could produce power outages, structural damages, and dangerous conditions. Even if the hurricane does not make landfall, the storm surge warning issued for U.S. coastal regions underscores the potential for life-threatening flooding in low-lying coastal areas.
Preparations:
Given the storm's rapid intensification and large size, local authorities and residents in these islands would be advised to prepare for strong wind events, heavy rains, flooding, and hazardous marine conditions. Precautions could include securing outdoor items, preparing emergency supplies and evacuation plans if in flood-prone areas, and monitoring official updates as Erin moves along the Atlantic.
Emergency services in these regions would likely have mobilized to respond to power outages, flood rescues, and infrastructure damage.
Current Storm Trajectory and Outlook:
Erin rapidly intensified to a Category 5 hurricane but gradually weakened as it moved northward, skirting the Caribbean islands without making landfall, then moving up the U.S. East Coast and heading offshore Atlantic waters. Forecast models show high-pressure systems steering Erin away from the U.S. coast and pushing it offshore, reducing direct landfall threats but still posing hazards through strong winds and swells to the Caribbean.
In both the Atlantic and Pacific, the hurricane season officially lasts until November 30. Experts suggest that increasing global warming may increase the likelihood of strong storms.
[1] NHC Advisory, Hurricane Erin, 2025 [2] NOAA Hurricane Center, Hurricane Erin, 2025 [3] Climate Central, Hurricane Erin and Climate Change, 2025
- The threat of climate change in environmental science could potentially exacerbate storms like Hurricane Erin, as suggested by the post-hurricane analysis by Climate Central in 2025.
- As Hurricane Erin continued its trajectory, weather-forecasting models predicted it to remain a hazard for the Caribbean, causing strong winds and dangerous swells, as reported by the NOAA Hurricane Center in 2025.
- In the realm of science, investigations revealed that the environmental impacts of Hurricane Erin included heavy rain, flooding, and beach erosion, similar to the weather patterns observed in nearby islands during the 2025 Atlantic season.
