Hurricane Erin far off the Massachusetts coast will still spark ‘life-threatening swimming and surfing conditions’

RODANTHE, N.C. (AP) — Hurricane Erin chugged slowly toward the eastern U.S. coast Tuesday, stirring up treacherous waves that already have forced dozens of beach rescues days before the biggest storm surges are expected.

Hurricane Erin forced tourists to cut their vacations short on North Carolina’s Outer Banks even though the monster storm is expected to stay offshore after lashing part of the Caribbean with rain and wind on Monday.

Rough surf conditions and dangerous rip currents have forced many beaches to ban swimming and boogie boarding this week.

Storms that ramp up so quickly complicate forecasting and make it harder for government agencies to plan for emergencies. Hurricane Erick, a Pacific storm that made landfall June 19 in Oaxaca, Mexico, also strengthened rapidly, doubling in intensity in less than a day.

Hurricane Erin, the first of the Atlantic season, briefly reached Catagory 5 status. What does the intense storm mean for the rest of the 2025?

As Hurricane Erin churns ominously in the Atlantic, surfers in Nova Scotia are gearing up to ride the powerful, storm-fed waves.

Tropical air associated with Hurricane Erin combined with a stalled front could trigger dangerous flash flooding in parts of the Northeast at midweek.