Tracker: Hurricane Erin forms in Atlantic: Path, impacts

The first hurricane of the Atlantic season has formed, and Hurricane Erin could strengthen to a major hurricane this weekend or sooner.

Hurricane Erin forms

By the numbers:

As of 10 a.m. Friday, Category 1 Hurricane Erin has maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. 

It is located about 460 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands and is moving west-northwest at 18 mph.

Timeline:

Erin will continue moving west-northwest into the weekend. According to the National Hurricane Center, the center is forecast to move near or just north of the northern Leeward Island over the weekend.

Erin is expected to continue to strengthen and could become a major hurricane, meaning at least a Category 3, by this weekend.

The latest track has Erin becoming a major hurricane on Sunday and reaching Category 4 status at peak by early next week.

Where is Hurricane Erin going?

Impacts:

Hurricane Erin will stay north of the Caribbean and mainly pose a risk to Bermuda while bringing larger waves to the beaches from Florida to New England.

Gulf low heads toward South Texas

We are also watching an area of low pressure in the southern Gulf. Invest 98 has gotten stronger, and the National Hurricane Center has upgraded its chance of becoming a very brief tropical depression to 50%. The center of the system is likely to move inland near the northeastern Mexico coast later today.

Local perspective:

For us in Southeast Texas, heavy rain, isolated street flooding and a high rip current risk are likely both Friday and Saturday. We are in a 1/4 risk for flooding. Stay weather aware for any changes.