Tropical storm poses potential danger to the Caribbean, marking the debut of the Atlantic hurricane season
Hurricane Erin Threatens Caribbean Islands
Hurricane Erin, the first hurricane of the current Atlantic season, is moving northeast of the Lesser Antilles towards the west. The hurricane may approach the islands to the southeast of Puerto Rico, potentially bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and dangerous surf conditions.
According to the National Hurricane Centre (NHC), Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and the British Virgin Islands should monitor the development of Hurricane Erin. The hurricane season in both the Atlantic and the Caribbean officially lasts until November 30.
The storm is expected to develop into a strong hurricane over the weekend, with sustained winds up to 160 mph. On Friday, the hurricane was located about 750 kilometers from the English-speaking Leeward Islands.
Tropical storms form over warm ocean water, and the warm ocean temperatures in the region have contributed to the rapid intensification of Hurricane Erin. The storm's rapid strengthening is also due to favourable atmospheric conditions such as low wind shear and compact storm structure.
The island chain that could be affected includes Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Kitts and Nevis. The first hurricane of the current Atlantic season, Erin's precursor wave caused intense flooding in Cape Verde with casualties and damage, indicating the storm's capability of significant localized impacts even before hurricane formation.
Climate change is linked to higher ocean temperatures and thus contributes to the increased frequency and intensity of strong hurricanes like Erin. Warmer waters provide more heat energy to fuel storms, making them stronger and more likely to undergo rapid intensification.
In summary, islands southeast of Puerto Rico face heavy rains, strong winds, and surf hazards from Hurricane Erin despite no direct landfall. The rapid strengthening of Erin to an extremely powerful storm is enabled by warm sea surface temperatures exacerbated by global warming, highlighting how climate change is intensifying hurricane activity in the Atlantic region.
Environmental science studies the impact of weather events on the environment, and climate-change research reveals a link between warmer oceans and the increased frequency of strong hurricanes. The science behind Hurricane Erin's rapid intensification suggests that climate change contributes to the warmer ocean temperatures, which in turn provide more fuel for storms like Erin to grow into an extremely powerful hurricane.
