Hurricane Erin, a formidable Category 4 storm with 215 kph (130 mph) winds, is set to unleash life-threatening surf and rip currents along the U.S. East Coast this week, despite not making direct landfall. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Erin, which briefly reached Category 5 status with 260 kph (160 mph) winds on Saturday, reintensified late Sunday, lashing the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico with heavy rains and tropical-storm-force winds.

Erin’s outer bands caused significant disruptions, knocking out power to 147,000 customers in Puerto Rico and canceling over 20 flights, according to Luma Energy and the Associated Press. Ports in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands reopened Sunday as conditions eased, but tropical storm conditions are expected in the Turks and Caicos and southeast Bahamas by Monday night. The storm, located 205 km east-northeast of Grand Turk Island and 1,555 km south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, is moving northwest at 19 kph.

With hurricane-force winds extending 95 km and tropical-storm-force winds reaching 370 km from its center, Erin’s expansive size threatens coastal areas from Florida to New England and Atlantic Canada. Dare County, North Carolina, declared an emergency and ordered Hatteras Island evacuations starting Monday, citing risks to N.C. Highway 12 from heavy surf and high winds. Wave heights of 9-24 feet are forecast from North Carolina to Massachusetts by Thursday, with Bermuda facing 15-25 ft waves and gusts up to 100 mph.

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The NHC warns of life-threatening surf and rip currents through midweek, driven by Erin’s northward turn. AccuWeather’s Alex DaSilva noted “near-perfect” conditions for rapid intensification due to warm ocean waters and low wind shear, linking the storm’s strength to climate change, which fuels heavier rainfall and faster intensification. Posts on X from @NHC_Atlantic emphasized the increasing risk, urging beachgoers to heed local warnings.

Erin’s impacts echo past offshore storms like Hurricane Joaquin (2015), which caused historic flooding in South Carolina, and Hurricane Lorenzo (2019), linked to eight rip-current deaths. Experts, including Rob Young from Duke University, warn of beach erosion and coastal flooding, particularly in vulnerable areas like the Outer Banks and Cape Cod. “Storms like this can be beach eaters,” Young said. Meteorologists continue to monitor Erin’s path, with two additional tropical waves potentially following similar routes later this month.

Coastal communities are urged to stay vigilant, avoid swimming in unguarded areas, and prepare for potential road closures and marine hazards as Erin’s swells propagate across the western Atlantic.

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