As Tropical Storm Erin forms, SC hurricane season approaches turning point. Here’s what to expect.
After a relatively quiet start to the hurricane season on Hilton Head, the tropics have started heating up as the most active part of the season gets underway.
Tropical Storm Erin formed in the eastern Atlantic Ocean on Monday morning, and National Weather Service meteorologists predict that it is likely to strengthen into the Atlantic’s first hurricane of the season before the end of the week. Erin is expected to move west from its current location off the coast of Africa towards the ocean north of Puerto Rico.
It’s unlikely that the storm will directly hit the U.S. in the coming days, experts said. But if Erin becomes a major hurricane, it could bring the threat of rip currents to the South Carolina coasts, said Neil Dixon, lead meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Charleston office.
At the moment, it’s too early to determine any threats the system poses to Hilton Head and the surrounding area.
“Erin is a system that we’re going to pay careful and very close attention to,” Dixon said.
Distant hurricanes can create dangerous surf conditions. Experts say the third-highest cause of hurricane related fatalities in the U.S. comes from rip currents.
Mid-August marks a turning point in the Atlantic hurricane season. Water temperatures reach their peak and provide energy for storms to form. A reduction in wind shear, or the change in wind speed with height in the atmosphere, stops storms from being ripped apart in the upper atmosphere and allows them to develop as well.
Of all the recorded hurricanes that have hit South Carolina, 70% have happened during the months of August, September and October.
Hurricane Season Updates
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration updated its predictions 2025 hurricane season predictions after anticipating a higher than average season in May.
The current predictions are as follows.
- 13-18 named storms
- 5-9 hurricanes
- 2-5 major hurricanes
So far there have been five named tropical storms, including Erin, this season.
This year, the closest storm to Hilton Head was Tropical Storm Chantal, which made landfall near Litchfield Beach. Hilton Head avoided most of the impacts.
This story was originally published August 11, 2025 at 2:17 PM.
