TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – As of 5am on Sunday, Hurricane Erin had returned to a Category 3 storm but grew, the National Hurricane Center said.
The storm will rapidly strengthen to Category 5 on Saturday, with the NHC saying more fluctuations are expected the next day or two days.
Erin is currently about 155 miles from San Juan, Puerto Rico and about 310 miles from Turks and Caicos.
Also, some speeds have slowed since yesterday, and are now moving around West Northwest around 14 miles. The NHC predicts it will be even later today before gradually turning north on Monday and Tuesday.
Tropical storm warnings are effective for Turks and Caicos, and if Erin passes by, a storm is expected within the next 24 hours. Tropical stormwatches are available in the southeastern Bahamas, where storm conditions will be possible in the next 24 hours as the islands are beaten by bands on the outside of the hurricane.
Once the maximum wind speed returns to 125 mph, Erin will once again be a Category 3 storm, but we expect a continuous change in intensity. The NHC said the storm is getting bigger, with Hurricane Force winds 25 miles away from the center, and the strong tropical storm winds are up to 205 miles.
Potential heavy rains of up to 8 inches are expected in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Local flash floods, landslides and landslides are possible.
The swells from the storm will likely affect parts of the Caribbean where Erin is passing by and spread to the Bahamas, Bermuda, the East Coast of the US and Atlantic Canada. Coarse ocean conditions can cause life-threatening RIP flows along beaches along the Atlantic coast.
The NHC has also identified another tropical wave off the coast of Africa. For now, it’s just an area of distorted storms, but there is a possibility that a more structured, low-pressure area will form over the Central Atlantic Ocean in the middle to the second half of next week. The chance of formation over the next 7 days is about 20%, and the NHC gives the chance of formation until the next 48 hours.
Watch track the tropical Tuesday at 12:30pm (11:30pm ET) CT
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