Hurricane Erin currently battering the coast of North Carolina could be heading to West Midlands – here is what the Met Office says
Hurricane Erin is currently battering North Carolina’s Outer Banks with strong winds and waves that have flooded part of the main highway and surged under beachfront homes.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned people to avoid swimming at "most US East Coast beaches due to life-threatening surf and rip currents".
The storm is expected to gain strength on Thursday becoming a Category 3 hurricane with wind speeds of more than 100mph.
It is expected to slowly move away from the East Coast of the US and out across the Atlantic and is potentially heading towards the UK.
However, while the Met Office say there is no danger of the UK experiencing the same strength of winds that are battering the US coastline, Hurricane Erin has the potential to bring unsettled weather to the UK, including Shropshire, the West Midlands.
Deputy Chief Meteorologist Stephen Kocher said: “A key feature to watch in the coming days is Hurricane Erin, which is currently a category three storm to the east of the Bahamas.
“We are closely watching Erin’s track, with the possibility of the UK feeling the effects of what would then be ex-hurricane Erin at some point next week, bringing an area of low pressure to the UK and more unsettled conditions.
“This is still a week away however, so there is lots of uncertainty in the forecast, but it is possible we could see some wet and windy weather for the last week of August.
“We’ll be keeping a close eye on the movements of Hurricane Erin over the coming days and updating our forecasts accordingly.”
