Tropical Storm Erika 2015 Thursday Night Update

Latest forecast advisory has Erika just off the coast of the Palm Beaches by Sunday afternoon. Keep an eye on it and make preparations now.

At 1100 PM AST (0300 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Erika was
located near latitude 16.6 North, longitude 65.3 West. Erika is
moving toward the west near 17 mph (28 km/h). A turn to the
west-northwest is anticipated on Friday, and this general motion is
expected to continue through Saturday. On the
forecast track, the center of Erika will move near Puerto Rico
during the next several hours and move near or over the
Dominican Republic on Friday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph (75 km/h) with higher gusts.
Little change in strength is forecast during the next 48 hours.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km)
from the center. St. Croix recently reported a wind gust to 62 mph
(100 km/h).

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1008 mb (29.77 inches).


HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
WIND: Tropical storm conditions are affecting the Virgin Islands
and will spread across Puerto Rico during the next several
hours. These conditions should spread westward across portions of
the Dominican Republic on Friday, and the southeastern Bahamas and
Turks and Caicos Islands late Friday.

RAINFALL: Erika is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations
of 4 to 8 inches with maximum amounts of 12 inches possible across
portions of the Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico,
the Dominican Republic and Haiti, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and
the southeastern Bahamas through Saturday.  These rains could cause
life-threatening flash floods and mud slides.