With Erin poised to rapidly intensify into a major hurricane near the northern Caribbean , AccuWeather meteorologists are emphasizing the growing risk of rapid intensification in the Atlantic this season. Erin is forecast to strengthen significantly over abnormally warm ocean waters northeast of the Lesser Antilles, underscoring the concern that any delay in a storm’s northward turn could result in greater impacts to land. As Erin nears the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico, the severity of flooding rain, damaging winds and coastal hazards will depend heavily on the timing of that crucial turn to the northwest.

Rapid intensification refers to a process when tropical storms and hurricanes quickly become stronger. Specifically, it means a storm's wind speed increases by at least 35 mph with

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