Tropical Storm Erin could be season’s first Atlantic hurricane

Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center on Monday sounded the alarm over what could become the first hurricane of the Atlantic season. Tropical Storm Erin moved across the Cabo Verde Islands off the coast of Africa Monday morning with maximum sustained winds of about 45 mph. It was expected to gain strength while driving west across the Atlantic Ocean over the next several days, according to the agency. The National Hurricane Center predicted that within the next five days, Erin could grow into a major hurricane just north of the Caribbean islands, with winds as high as 115 mph.

What kind of threat does it pose? Beginning on Saturday, the storm will be in the vicinity of the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the eastern U.S. coast. Forecasters said Monday that it was too early to accurately predict the potential risk for those areas.

What about storm activity in the Pacific? The Pacific season already kicked off in June with the short-lived Hurricane Barbara bringing heavy rain and flooding to western Mexico. By Monday morning, Hurricane Henriette was churning more than 500 miles northwest of Honolulu, according to the National Hurricane Center. It is expected to dissipate over the coming days over the far northern Pacific.

Dig deeper: Read Addie Offereins’ report about how Texas officials are working to prevent future tragedies in the wake of July’s fatal floods.