Erin becomes the first hurricane of the season, expected to become major hurricane

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Erin has officially become a hurricane, the first of this season, as it continues its journey across the Atlantic.

Dry air has temporarily disrupted its development, but conditions overall remain favorable for intensification. Data collected by Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft earlier showed winds near 70 mph, and another NOAA aircraft is on the way to get a better look at the storm’s structure.

Erin is moving toward the west-northwest at about 17 mph and is expected to continue in this direction through the weekend. Early next week, a shift in weather patterns should cause the storm to gradually turn more toward the north.

While forecasts are fairly consistent over the next few days, there is still some uncertainty about its exact path later on, including whether it