Current Weather and Tropical Updates: August 17, 2025

Hurricane Erin Remains a Major Threat in the Atlantic

Hurricane Erin, the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, has rapidly intensified and is now a formidable Category 5 storm.¹ The storm’s outer bands are already bringing heavy rainfall and gusty winds to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.² While the storm is not expected to make a direct landfall on the U.S. mainland, it is forecast to bring dangerous surf, rip currents, and massive waves to the East Coast, particularly from North Carolina to the mid-Atlantic.³ Bermuda is also on high alert as the storm’s path could bring it dangerously close. Forecasters are closely monitoring the system as it moves north of the Caribbean.⁴

• https://www.weather.gov/
• https://www.wunderground.com/
• https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news
• https://apnews.com/article/tropical-storm-erin-caribbean-9801bea558cc1fb9005f1c5235354a67

Wildfire Updates: August 17, 2025

The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) reports that there are 52 large fires currently burning across nine states, with over 18,500 personnel assigned to incidents.⁵ So far in 2025, 43,787 wildfires have been reported, affecting over 3.7 million acres.⁶

• California: Firefighters are making progress on several large blazes, including the King Fire in Los Angeles County and the Gifford Fire in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. The Gifford Fire, which started on August 1st, is the largest fire in California this year.
• Idaho: Several new fires have been reported, including the Sand Creek Fire near Rexburg and the Sand Creek Fire near Boise.
• Arizona: The Bronco Fire and Goodwin Fire are among the active incidents being managed.⁷

For detailed information on specific fires, including size and containment, you can visit the following sources:

• https://www.nifc.gov/fire-information/nfn
• https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents

Other Notable Weather Headlines

• Heavy Rainfall Threat: The National Weather Service is monitoring a heavy rainfall threat for the Upper Midwest.
• Heat Risk: A significant heat risk is in effect for the Mississippi Valley.
• La Niña Watch Issued: A La Niña Watch has been issued, while the Pacific continues to show ENSO-neutral conditions.⁸
• https://www.weather.gov/
• https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news

Disclaimer: This information was researched and curated with the assistance of AI but reviewed and verified by a human.