First Atlantic hurricane of 2025 diminishes but tropical storm warnings issued for Turks and Caicos
Hurricane Erin was downgraded to a category 3 hurricane early Sunday as its outer bands continued to lash the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico with heavy rains and tropical-storm force winds.
While Erin’s maximum winds diminished, the storm’s overall size grew and forecasters issued tropical storm warnings for the Turks and Caicos Islands and a watch for the south-east Bahamas.
The storm wasn’t expected to directly affect the US east coast. But by doubling or tripling in size, it could bring rip currents all along the south-east coast. Gusty winds and flooding tides could wash out parts of the highway that connects the North Carolina Outer Banks by midweek, the US’s National Weather Service (NWS) said.
Bermuda could have similar conditions as Erin is forecast to turn to the north and then north-east, forecasters said.
