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Tropical weather PM update: August 19, 2025
FOX 35 meteorologists Noah Bergren and T.J. Springer give updates on Hurricane Erin, as well as two disturbances being monitored by the National Hurricane Center for potential development in the Atlantic Ocean.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Hurricane Erin is continuing to inch closer to the United States, and the storm is expected to bring dangerous high surf and life-threatening rip currents to Florida through the middle of the week.
In addition, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) is continuing to track two other tropical waves for possible development.
Here's the latest on everything we know about Hurricane Erin, as well as the other two systems in the tropics.
Hurricane Erin latest updates
What we know:
Erin, a Category 2 hurricane, is continuing on its journey across the Atlantic, bringing it closer to the U.S. this week.
Hurricane Erin is not expected to make landfall in the U.S. However, outer bands from the massive storm could lash the North Carolina coastline with tropical-storm-force winds and heavy rain as it passes by the Outer Banks.
Officials in some North Carolina communities have told residents and visitors to evacuate and declared local states of emergency ahead of possible life-threatening impacts. A Tropical Storm Watch and a Storm Surge Watch were issued for the Outer Banks.
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As of 11 p.m. on Tuesday, NHC officials said the storm was located about 585 miles southwest of Bermuda and about 540 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
Hurricane Erin had maximum sustained winds of 100 mph with some higher gusts, and the NHC said that some fluctuations in strength are possible over the next few days. The storm's minimal central pressure is 961 mb.
What's next:
The NHC said the center of Erin will pass to the east of the Bahamas tonight, and then move over the western Atlantic between the U.S. east coast and Bermuda on Wednesday and Thursday.
The backstory:
Hurricane Erin rapidly intensified last week, going from a Category 1 hurricane to a Category 5 hurricane with winds of 160 mph in a matter of hours.
What is a Tropical Storm Warning, Tropical Storm Watch and a Storm Surge Watch?
Why you should care:
A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area.
A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.
A Storm Surge Watch means there is a possibility of life- threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, in the indicated locations during the next 48 hours.
Will Hurricane Erin impact Florida?
Local perspective:
Hurricane Erin's main impact on Florida will be dangerous high surf and life-threatening rip currents along the state's Atlantic coast through the middle of the week, with wave heights potentially reaching 5–10 feet.
While no direct landfall or wind impacts are expected for Florida, the storm's large size will create hazardous beach conditions, and officials are urging caution for swimmers and boaters on the East Coast.
2 tropical waves behind Hurricane Erin
Big picture view:
The NHC is also continuing to track two tropical waves for possible development in the Atlantic.
Tropical wave near the Leeward Islands
A tropical wave located over the central tropical Atlantic continues to produce a broad area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms.
Environmental conditions appear conducive for gradual development of this system, and a tropical depression could form toward the end of the week or weekend.
This system should move westward to west-northwestward at about 20 mph across the central tropical Atlantic and approach the vicinity of the Leeward Islands on Friday.
The system has a 10% chance of development over the next 48 hours and a 60% chance of development over the next seven days.
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Tropical wave in the eastern Atlantic
A tropical wave located a few hundred miles to the southeast of the Cabo Verde Islands continues to produce a concentrated area of showers and thunderstorms.
Environmental conditions appear generally favorable for additional development over the next couple of days as the system moves westward at around 15 mph. Towards the end of this week, this system could encounter a less favorable environment, limiting its development chances after that time.
The system has a 30% chance of development over the next 48 hours and a 30% chance of development over the next seven days.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the National Hurricane Center (NHC), FOX Weather and the FOX 35 Storm Team on Aug. 19, 2025.