Hurricane Erin could see 16ft waves crashing into Britain in the coming days as the huge US storm moves eastwards across the Atlantic.
Forecasters are tracking the potential impact of Erin, currently a category 2 storm which is set to end the UK’s dry spell.
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said any effect would not happen until at least the middle of next week.
Erin underwent a “remarkable” 24-hour transition from a tropical storm to a 160mph category 5 “monster” last weekend.
It is expected to generate large breaking waves between 8ff to 16ft and life-threatening rip currents along the eastern coast of the US through Friday evening.
Mr Morgan added: “It is too early for specific details about which parts of the country will see the windiest and wettest weather.
“What we can say is that it will gradually turn less hot and be more generally changeable.”
The eyes of forecasters are drawn west from Tuesday as Ex-Hurricane Erin is likely to exert some influence over the UK’s weather through the middle of next week.
— Met Office (@metoffice) August 22, 2025
Here's the lowdown... pic.twitter.com/6hEX6NcDrv
It means there could be thundery showers from Wednesday and “more especially” on Thursday and Friday next week at which point the weather system will officially be an ex-hurricane.
Mr Morgan added: “We are also likely to see some very large waves.
“Ex-hurricane Erin will bring quite a large swell in the sea so we could potentially see waves of four to five metres in height for the western isles of Scotland and Ireland and so for holidaymakers going to the coast, that could prove quite a hazard.”
He warned this potentially unsettled weather is still “a long way in the future” and a spell of sunshine is due over the coming days for the long Bank Holiday weekend in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Earlier this week Erin had lost some strength from previous days and dropped to a category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105mph, the National Hurricane Centre in Miami said.
By Tuesday, it was about 650 miles south-west of Bermuda.
Rough ocean conditions along the US east coast led to at least 60 swimmers being rescued from rip currents on Monday at Wrightsville Beach, near Wilmington, North Carolina.
Currently UK temperatures are on the rise and could reach around 24C or 25C in a few spots on Sunday, across many regions from anywhere from the south of England up to the east of Scotland.
Mr Morgan said: “It’s looking fine, dry and there will be quite a bit of warm sunshine around, particularly on Sunday and on Bank Holiday Monday.
“For festivals and outdoor events, the weather should not cause any disruption.
“It’s looking very summer-like and really pleasant to warm for most.”
