High Rip Current Risk Continues This Weekend

Hurricane Erin continues to track northeast, and although it isn’t a major hurricane anymore, its size has drastically increased over the past few days, bringing coastal flooding, life-threatening rip currents and high surf.

A hurricane’s wind field is important as it can make a huge difference in where and what effects are felt. And as of 5 a.m. on Aug. 21, Hurricane Erin looked like this:

- Hurricane-force wind diameter: 150 miles

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- Tropical-storm-force wind diameter: 480 miles

But how does Erin’s size compare to other recent large hurricanes that made landfall or brushed up against the U.S.?

Hurricane Katrina (2005)

Hurricane Katrina was one of the most devastating natural disasters in United States history. To this day, it is still the costliest hurricane in the U.S., as well as one of the deadliest. It reached Category 5 status in the Gulf and was still a major hurricane when it made landfall.

- Hurricane-force wind diameter: 170 miles

- Tropical-storm-force wind diameter: 380 miles

Louisiana and Mississippi bore the brunt of this storm, suffering catastrophic damage and tragic loss of life, but serious impacts reached as far as Alabama and Florida's western panhandle.

(MORE: Why A Storm's Wind Field Is Just As Important As Its Category)

Hurricane Sandy (2012)

Hurricane Sandy in 2012 was a late-season hurricane that formed in the central Caribbean, intensifying into a hurricane as it tracked north across Jamaica, eastern Cuba and the Bahamas. Sandy grew considerably in size while over the Bahamas and continued to grow despite weakening into a tropical storm.

Sandy strengthened into a hurricane again as it moved northeast of the U.S. until turning west toward the mid-Atlantic coast. Sandy weakened and made landfall as a post-tropical cyclone in New Jersey.

Sandy was massive:

- Hurricane-force wind diameter: 150 miles

- Tropical-storm-force wind diameter: 820 miles

Its size caused a catastrophic storm surge in New Jersey and New York coastlines and is one of the costliest cyclones in U.S. history.

Hurricane Ike (2008)

Hurricane Ike is remembered as one of the most devastating storm surge hurricanes to affect the upper Texas and Louisiana coasts.

It developed from a tropical wave near the Cabo Verde Islands before moving westward and eventually reaching Category 4 strength, then making landfall in Cuba as a major hurricane. Once Ike reached the Gulf, it tracked more northwestward and continued to grow in size, eventually making landfall on Galveston Island as a strong and large Category 2.

At landfall, it had:

- Hurricane-force wind diameter: 165 miles

- Tropical-storm-force wind diameter: 390 miles

Its large wind swath led to higher-than-normal storm surge flooding along the upper Texas and Louisiana coasts.

(MORE: Hurricane Ian Vs. Charley: Similar Landfalls, Different Storms)

Hurricane Earl (2010)

Hurricane Earl in 2010 tracked similarly to Erin, developing from a tropical wave west of the Cabo Verde Islands and then moving westward, brushing along the eastern coast as it curved toward the northeast. It reached major hurricane status and temporarily weakened before reorganizing into a Category 4 hurricane.

When Earl was at its closest point to the U.S.:

- Hurricane-force wind diameter: 120 miles

- Tropical-storm-force wind diameter: 330 miles

In North Carolina, moderate damage occurred, with an estimated $3.8 million in damage.

Miriam Guthrie graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with an undergraduate degree in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and is now a meteorology intern with weather.com while working towards her master's.