First major Atlantic hurricane approaches, but landfall is unclear

AI-assisted summary

The storm is currently thousands of miles away from the U.S. and is predicted to strengthen into a major hurricane.

It is too early to determine if or where the hurricane will make landfall.

At 11 A.M. on Monday, Aug. 11, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) detected Tropical Storm Erin, forming off the African coast moving west across the Cabo Verde Islands.

As of 5 A.M. Aug. 12, the storm continues to churn westward at 22 miles per hour, about 3,000 miles away from the nearest landfall on the U.S. mainland in Florida. In five days, the tropical cyclone is expected to be the season’s first major Atlantic hurricane—a Category 3 or higher hurricane with sustained winds reaching 111 mph. At this point, the NHC predicts the hurricane will about 300 miles northwest of Pu