As per reports, Hurricane Erin has intensified to Category 04 status with maximum sustained winds of 215 km/h (130 mph), creating dangerous marine conditions along the US eastern seaboard in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina on Monday (18 August).
• The storm’s outer bands are currently affecting the southeastern Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, with rainfall accumulations reaching 15 cm (six inches) in these regions on Monday (18 August).
• US National Hurricane Center (NHC) advisories indicate the storm’s core will pass 300 km east of Florida by Tuesday (19 August) before paralleling the Georgia/South Carolina/North Carolina coastline.
• Mandatory evacuations are in effect for North Carolina’s Hatteras Island due to anticipated highway flooding from storm surge on Monday (18 August).
