The Atlantic basin includes the northern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of America, as the Gulf of Mexico is now known in the U.S. per an order from President Trump. NOAA and the National Hurricane Center are now using Gulf of America on its maps and in its advisories.

In recent decades, the Atlantic has been warming at record rates, helping hurricanes explode into powerhouses.

The first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season is also one of the largest, fastest-growing hurricanes in recorded history

FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross breaks down the latest storm conditions of Hurricane Erin, as the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center has placed the Outer Banks of North Carolina under a tropical storm and storm surge watch for the area.

The Atlantic basin includes the northern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of America, as the Gulf of Mexico is now known in the U.S. per an order from President Trump. NOAA and the National Hurricane Center are now using Gulf of America on its maps and in its advisories.

Erin briefly became a Category 5 hurricane over the weekend and weakened to Category 3 status as it moved north and west of Puerto Rico this weekend. It is now a Category 4 storm and will be moving more north in the next few days.

Though Hurricane Erin will not make landfall in the U.S., here's why a tropical storm watch has been issued for parts of North Carolina.

Parts of North Carolina's Outer Banks are under mandatory evacuation orders, as the National Hurricane Center warns that Hurricane Erin could bring tall waves topping 15 to 20 feet.