Hurricane Erin, which had exploded into a Category 5 powerhouse, was downgraded to a Category 3 storm Aug. 17, but rip currents and surf remained "life threatening" to beachgoers along the U.S. East Coast, the National Hurricane Center said. Thestorm, still driving dangerous, 125 mph winds, was centered about 200 miles north-northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico, at 11 a.m. ET, the NHC said. Just a day earlier Erin's sustained winds had reached 160 mph. Erin, still a major hurricane, is the fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season and thefirst to reach hurricane status. The core of Erin is expected to pass to the east of the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas late on Aug. 17 and on Aug. 18. The meteorological services of France and the Netherlands discontinued tropical storm watches for St. Martin, St. Barthelemy and Sint Maarten, the NHC said. Richard Pasch, senior Hurricane Specialist for the NHC, was among forecasters warning that Erin was expected to produce life-threatening surf and rip currents along the beaches of U.S., Bermuda and Atlantic Canada for several days. Erin was a tropical storm before gaining hurricane status on Aug. 15. It became a major hurricane early on Aug. 16 when sustained winds exceeded 110 mph to gain Category 3 status, and later that day grew to a Category 5 storm with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph before those winds began to ebb. Forecasters eye two potential stormsin addition to Hurricane Erin Nearly the entire island of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands was without electricity early on Aug. 17 − 19,126 out of 23,252 customers, according to PowerOutage.us. Only scattered outages were reported on St. John and St. Croix. U.S. shores are unlikely to see a direct hit, but a strong offshore hurricane can produce massive and dangerous waves well away from its center,AccuWeatherLead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said. "The storm is forecast to remain hundreds of miles off the East Coast," DaSilva said, adding that "beaches along the entire East Coast, from Florida to New England and Atlantic Canada, will likely experience rough surf and dangerous rip currents as Erin tracks north and eventually northeast." Hurricane Erin tracker:See map of the storm's forecasted path Hurricane Center director Michael Brennansaid 50-foot waves could occur near the center and to the right of Erin as the storm moves north, resulting in large breaking waves at beaches along the coast. Wave heights, long period swells and life-threatening rip currents –powerful currents of water that can rapidly carry swimmers out to deeper waters– are expected to increase along East Coast beaches by Aug. 18, according to the hurricane center and local National Weather Service offices. Even from far offshore, "the threat for life-threatening rip currents, damaging beach erosion, major coastal flooding and extremely dangerous surf is increasing," the National Weather Service office in Morehead City, North Carolina, said on Aug. 17. Wave heights could range from 12 to 20 feet along the Outer Banks, the office reports. Erin quickly exceeded expectations, undergoing a period of strengthening that the hurricane center refers to as "rapid intensification." Erin's burst of intensification will be among the most rapid ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. Erin's winds increased 45 mph in just 12 hours overnight on Aug. 15, from 75 mph to 120 mph. Ultimately its wind speeds increased a total of 80 mph in just 18 hours from Friday to Saturday. In a post season summary of the 2024 hurricane season, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that Hurricane Milton's rate of intensification – 90 mph in 24 hours in October 2024 – was "among the highest ever observed." At least two other hurricanes have exceeded that increase. In 2005, Hurricane Wilma's winds increased 125 mph in 24 hours. In 2007, wind speeds in Hurricane Felix increased by 100 mph in 24 hours, according to hurricane center data. A tropical storm watch went into effect on Aug. 17 in the Southeast Bahamas, which means tropical storm conditions are possible within the area over 24 hours. A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands, meaning tropical storm conditions are expected within 24 hours. Rain bands in Erin's expanding quadrants raked Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands late Aug. 16, with heavy rain and tropical storm force wind gusts of 40 - 50 mph, prompting flash flood warnings in some locations. The National Weather Service warned up to 8 inches of rain was possible. On the night of Aug. 16,a buoy near the stormin a north-northeastward direction from San Juan, Puerto Rico, was recording signficant wave heights of 22 - 28 feet. That's the average of the highest one-third of waves being measured at the buoy. The hurricane center is monitoringtwo other potential tropical disturbances, including one a couple of hundred miles off the North Carolina coast with a very low percentage of developing into a tropical storm, and another in the eastern region of the central tropical Atlantic. The Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1 and lasts through the end of November. The Atlantic basin includes the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of America. Based on a 30-year climate period from 1991 to 2020, the average Atlantic hurricane season has 14 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes, the NHC says. Active hurricane weather typically peaks between mid-August and mid-October. Contributing: Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Hurricane Erin: Category 3 storm could impact entire East Coast
