Tropical storm Erin is forecast to become the first major Atlantic hurricane of the year, and it could bring dangerous weather to the East. Here’s what to know. The first Atlantic hurricane of the year could be upon us.

Powerful Hurricane Erin has undergone a period of astonishingly rapid intensification — a phenomenon that has become far more common in recent years as the planet warms. It is now a rare Category 5, churning through the Atlantic Ocean north of the Caribbean.