Hurricane Erin puts Florida under coastal threat with dangerous surf, strong rip currents

Tropical weather AM update: Aug. 21, 2025

Hurricane Erin is continuing to produce life-threatening surf and rip currents along the beaches of the Bahamas, much of the east coast of the United States, Bermuda and Atlantic Canada during the next several days. FOX 35 Storm Team Meteorologist Brooks Garner gives us the latest updates as to what's happening in the tropics.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Hurricane Erin's impacts are already underway across the Southeast, bringing dangerous surf and strong rip currents along Florida's East Coast beaches.

Here's the latest on what we know about Hurricane Erin and its possible impacts on the Sunshine State. 

Where is Hurricane Erin?

What we know:

Hurricane Erin is moving toward the north-northeast, and a faster northeastward to east-northeastward motion is expected during the next couple of days.

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The National Hurricane Center (NHC) says the center of the Category 2 storm will move over the western Atlantic between the United States east coast and Bermuda through early Friday, and then pass south of Atlantic Canada on Friday and Saturday.

Gradual weakening is forecast during the next couple of days, and the storm is expected to become post-tropical on Saturday.

The hurricane is currently located about 370 miles east-northeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and about 375 miles northwest of Bermuda. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 100 mph and a minimum central pressure of 952 mb. 

Tens of thousands had been evacuated off the most vulnerable of North Carolina's Outer Banks as a storm surge of up to 4 feet was likely. 

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for Cape Lookout to Duck, North Carolina; a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina to Chincoteague, Virginia, including Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds; and a Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Bermuda.

How will Hurricane Erin impact Florida?

Local perspective:

Despite Hurricane Erin not being forecast to make landfall in Florida, the state is still experiencing significant indirect impacts. Dangerous beach conditions brought on by the storm have the entire East Coast on high alert. 

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Beaches along Florida's coastline, particularly in Northeast and East Central Florida, are experiencing frequent and life-threatening rip currents due to the large ocean swells generated by Erin.

Wave heights could reach up to 11 feet along Northeast Florida beaches, and 5-7 feet along the east-central coast. These large breaking waves create extremely dangerous conditions for swimmers and surfers.

Minor coastal flooding is possible near high tide, especially in vulnerable coastal communities.