Hurricane Erin, the first hurricane of the Atlantic in 2025, weakened to Category 3 on Sunday, August 17, but it brought more devastation to US states as it underwent astonishingly rapid changes since landfall. Officials announced a state of emergency and mandatory evacuation as a cyclonic storm likely to rip currents along the US Eastern seaboard during the week.
After being downgraded to Category 3, the storm is predicted to continue to fluctuate in strength and could double or even triple in size as it moves north and west, causing rough ocean conditions across much of the western Atlantic, according to the Hurricane Centre.
Forecasters issued warning in Dare County and sounded mandatory evacuations for its residents and visitors of Hatteras Island as Hurricane Erin expected to land. The local state emergency department asked local to leave the area before storm’s dangerous conditions arrive.
A Coastal Flood Watch has already been issued for Dare County. Coastal flooding and ocean over wash are expected to begin as early as Tuesday August 19, 2025 and continue through Thursday, August 21, 2025. Villages in Hatteras Island, including Roadanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras asked to evacuate.
All Hatteras Island visitors were asked to evacuate from 10 am on Monday, August 18, 2025 and for residents evacuate from 8 am on Tuesday, August 19, 2025.
State of Emergency and mandatory evacuation has also been declare in Ocracoke Island. The Hyde County Board of Commissioners declared a State of Emergency for Ocracoke Island effective at 8.00 pm on Sunday, due to the anticipated flooding impacts from Hurricane Erin and potential impacts to Highway 12.
While Erin's winds downgraded on Sunday, but its overall size keep growing as forecasters issued tropical storm warnings for the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeast Bahamas.
Current Situation
According to the forecast, Hurricane Erin is likely to remain powerful for the next several days and to strengthen somewhat over the next 48 hours as it grows. The center of the cyclonic storm is most likely to stay at least 320 km from the Outer Banks but will also bring high tides all along the East Coast.
“You’re dealing with a major hurricane. The intensity is fluctuating. It’s a dangerous hurricane in any event,” said Richard Pasch of the National Hurricane Center.