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On August 15, NOAA satellites watched Erin become the first 

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hurricane of the year in the Atlantic basin.

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The following day, Hurricane Erin rapidly intensified into a Category 5

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storm - one of the fastest intensifications on record.

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Erin started as a tropical wave off the coast of Africa on August 9

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and strengthened into a tropical storm on August 11, becoming

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the fifth named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.

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Since becoming a Category 5 hurricane, Erin has gone through cycles

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of weakening and restrengthening while traveling north between Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast.

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NOAA satellites provide vital information for forecasting hurricanes

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and monitoring their location, movement and intensity.

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GOES-19 watched as the tropical storm developed in near real-time

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and tracked its progress.

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Rapid, high resolution imagery from GOES-19 gave forecasters a

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detailed look at changes in the storm’s structure helping them pinpoint

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its center of circulation and estimate its intensity.

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This information can also help guide reconnaisance aircraft,

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like NOAA’s Hurricane Hunters to the correct location.

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Additionally, GOES-19 monitored lightning activity within Hurricane Erin

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as it rapidly intensified, and offered additional information about the storm’s structure and evolution.

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The Joint Polar Satellite System captures data over each area twice a day.

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The satellites measure the state of the atmosphere by measuring

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sea surface temperatures, atmospheric temperature and moisture.

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This vital data can help forecasters predict a hurricane’s path five days out.

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NOAA’s prediction of an above-average hurricane season remains

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on track as we approach the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season.

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NOAA satellites will remain vigilant, watching for the development of

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new storms and providing critical information to track them once they develop.

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Earth From Orbit: Hurricane Erin is the First Atlantic Hurricane of 2025

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