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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHurricane Erin Briefing1 HURRICANE ERIN Outlook and Readiness Briefing Dave Topczynski | August 19, 2025 Overview 2 •Currently, Hurricane Erin is a Category 3 hurricane that is located east of the Bahamas. •Erin is expected to remain a powerful hurricane throughout the week, curving to the north/northeast over the next few days where it will remain offshore of the East Coast. •Erin is predicted to expand, extending its outward into a large diameter storm as it moves North. •Hurricane Erin’s forecasted track has shifted westward, bringing the outer bands closer to the coast. •Erin is expected to pass offshore of Virginia Beach this Thursday, 8/21, into Friday, 8/22. Expect to begin experiencing the effects of Erin on Wednesday, 8/20 with the storm clearing by Friday, afternoon. •Hurricane Erin will be mostly a coastal and wind event. Potential Impacts - Wind 3 •Outer bands of Hurricane Erin will likely bring winds from the North/Northeast at 25-30 mph with gusts as high as 40 mph or greater along the coast. Potential Impacts – Coastal Flooding 4 •North/Northeast winds will allow for stacking waves in the Chesapeake Bay that could result in tidal flooding along our Bay communities and tributaries of Lynnhaven Bay, especially during high tides Wednesday and Thursday. •Tidal Flooding is expected to reach moderate to major levels during high tides. Potential Impacts – Surf 5 •Very high risk of rip currents. •Wave Height •Atlantic Ocean: •8-12 ft waves in the surf zone starting Wednesday. •10-14 ft waves possible Thursday through Friday. •Chesapeake Bay: •6-8 ft waves on Thursday. •1-3 ft. of storm surge is possible. Preparedness 6 •EOC activated to Level 1: Enhanced Monitoring •A preparedness message was sent to property managers in Sandbridge yesterday. •Town Center Parking Garages will be available to residents wishing to move their vehicles from flood prone areas beginning Wednesday through Friday. •Receptacles, banners, flags, and other loose items are being moved and secured along the Oceanfront and Sandbridge by Parks & Rec and EMS Lifeguards. •High Water Response Vehicles are readied and will stage at Fire Stations in the northern areas of the City. •Public Works is checking drains, equipment and exercising the Windsor Woods tide gates. •ECCS will upstaff 911 and 311 to handle any increases in call volume. •Public Safety Departments are checking equipment and are making plans to upstaff, if necessary. •Landscape Services, Public Works, and Public Utilities have crews ready to respond. Resident Preparedness 7 •Sign up for Emergency Notifications through VBAlert: Visit website or text VBALERT to 67283 •Beach Condition alerts: Text BEACH to 67283 •Monitor forecasts from official sources! •Bring loose, lightweight objects, such as lawn furniture and garbage cans, inside. •Secure objects that cannot be brought inside, such as grills or propane tanks. •Top off your vehicle and generator with fuel. •Consider moving vehicles to higher ground if you live in an area known to flood. •If your source of water is a well or another source that could lose service if the power goes out, fill containers with water before the storm arrives. https://virginiabeach.gov/ReadyVB 8 Questions?