Tropical storm 'Erin' grows stronger in the Caribbean, highest warning level issued - Tropical Storm "Erin" intensifies once more in the Caribbean, prompting the upgrade to the second-highest alert status
After originating near Cape Verde, Hurricane Erin has caused significant impact in the Caribbean, rapidly intensifying to a Category 5 hurricane before weakening slightly to a Category 4. The storm has already brought heavy rainfall and flooding to Cape Verde, resulting in at least nine fatalities and displacing around 1,500 people.
As it moved westward into the Caribbean Sea, Erin found ideal conditions for intensification: very warm sea surface temperatures (above 85°F), low wind shear, and a compact storm core. This rapid intensification led to the hurricane becoming a Category 5 hurricane on August 16 before weakening to Category 4.
Although the hurricane was not forecast to make direct landfall in the Caribbean, strong winds caused concerns for flooding and landslides on nearby islands. Emergency agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, prepared for potential impacts, especially in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, coordinating flood risk management and infrastructure reinforcement efforts in anticipation of heavy rainfall.
However, forecasts indicate that Hurricane Erin will swerve away from the continental United States, reducing the threat of direct impact on the mainland. The storm is currently east of the British Turks and Caicos Islands, with wind speeds of up to 215 kilometers per hour.
Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of hurricanes like Erin to human-induced climate change, which contributes to rising sea temperatures worldwide and makes storms more likely and facilitates their rapid intensification.
The hurricane season typically runs from June to late November, and stronger phenomena than usual are expected this year. As of Monday morning, Hurricane Erin is the first hurricane of this year's hurricane season in the northern Atlantic. Authorities in the U.S. East Coast state of North Carolina have been advised to increase vigilance.
Despite weakening, Hurricane Erin will remain a large and dangerous hurricane, causing potential dangers in the coming days. The National Hurricane Center predicts that the storm will strengthen further on Monday.
References
- National Hurricane Center
- The Weather Channel
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Despite initially weakening, scientists attribute the potential strengthening of Hurricane Erin to its presence in the warm waters of the Caribbean, a region that has experienced significant impacts from the storm.
- The National Hurricane Center warns that many Caribbean islands, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, should remain vigilant amidst hurricane warnings, with ongoing concerns about storm-induced floods and landslides.
- General news outlets and environmental-science bloggers have called for increased political action in addressing climate-change issues, citing Hurricane Erin as a prime example of the growing threat posed by extreme weather events to humanity and the environment.
