Tropical Storm Erika Advisory Update

Fri, Aug 28th 2015, 05:27 PM

This is a News Item on Tropical Storm Erika, August 28, 2015.

...ERIKA MOVING INTO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC WITH HEAVY RAINS AND GUSTY WINDS...

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...

* Dominican Republic
* Haiti
* Southeastern Bahamas
* Turks and Caicos Islands
* Central Bahamas

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for...

* Northwestern Bahamas
* The Cuban Provinces of Ciego de Avila, Camaguey, Las Tunas, Holguin, and Guantanamo

At 500 PM EDT (2100 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Erika was estimated near latitude 17.9 North, longitude 71.2 West. Erika is moving toward the west near 21 mph (33 km/h). A turn toward the west-northwest or northwest is expected tonight, with this motion continuing with a decrease in forward speed through Sunday. On the forecast track, the center of Erika will move over the Dominican Republic and Haiti during the next several hours, and be near the southeastern Bahamas or eastern Cuba on Saturday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph (85 km/h) with higher gusts. Weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Erika is forecast to weaken to a tropical depression on Saturday. There is a possibility that Erika could dissipate to a trough of low pressure during or after its passage over Hispaniola.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km) to the east of the center. Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic recently reported a wind gust of 51 mph (81 km/h).

The estimated minimum central pressure, based on observations from the Dominican Republic, is 1009 mb (29.80 inches).

Erika is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 3 to 6 inches with maximum amounts of 10 inches possible across portions of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, the Turks and Caicos Islands, eastern Cuba, and the southeastern and central Bahamas through Saturday. An additional 1 to 2 inches is expected for Puerto Rico. These rains could cause life-threatening flash floods and mud slides.

Next complete advisory at 800 PM EDT.

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