TROPICAL STORM ERIKA A LITTLE STRONGER AND RACING WESTWARD (See the NOAA National Hurricane Center for the latest information on this storm. Complete advisories are posted at 11 a.m., 5 p.m., 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. All times are Eastern. Advisories are posted more frequently as the storm nears the USA mainland.) Aug. 15, 2003 � The NOAA National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla., reports that at 11 a.m. EDT the center of Tropical Storm Erika was located near latitude 26.1 north, longitude 91.4 west or about 375 miles east of Brownsville, Texas. Erika is moving toward the west near 23 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue during the next 24 hours. On this track, Erika is forecast to be on the coast within the warning area early Saturday. (Click NOAA image for larger view of Tropical Storm Erika taken Aug. 15, 2003, at 1:45 p.m. EDT. Click here for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit “NOAA.”)
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 50 mph with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast, and Erika could reach hurricane status prior to landfall. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 115 miles mainly to the north of the center.
Estimated minimum central pressure is 1008 mb, 29.77 inches. Another Air Force Reserve reconnaissance plane will check Erika Friday afternoon. (Click NOAA tracking map of Tropical Storm Erika for larger view.) Storm surge flooding is expected to be 3 to 6 feet above normal tide levels, along with large battering waves, near and to the north of where the center crosses the coast. Rainfall accumulations of 3 to 6 inches, with isolated higher amounts, can be expected near the path of Erika. There is a possibility of isolated tornadoes along the middle Texas coast beginning Friday night. At 11 a.m EDT, a hurricane warning is in effect from Brownsville to Baffin Bay, Texas. A tropical storm warning remains in effect from north of Baffin Bay to Port O’Connor. The government of Mexico issued a hurricane warning from La Pesca northward to the U.S. border. A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours. Tropical storm Erika could threaten southern Texas or northeastern Mexico within the next 36 to 48 hours. Watches or warnings will likely be issued Thursday night or early Friday. Consult statements issued by local government. For storm information specific to your area, please monitor products issued by NOAA National Weather Service local forecast offices. NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation�s coastal and marine resources. NOAA is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Relevant Web Sites
NOAA National Hurricane Center — Get the latest advisories here
NOAA Atlantic Hurricanes Database — 150 Years of Atlantic Hurricanes
NOAA Forecasters Say Six to Nine Hurricanes Could Threaten in 2003
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
NOAA River Forecast Centers
NOAA Flood Products
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24-hour Observed Precipitation as of 8 a.m. today
Latest rainfall data as of 8 a.m. EDT today
NOAA Buoys NOAA Tides Online
NOAA Satellite Images — The latest satellite views
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NOAA Hurricanes Page
NOAA Storm Watch — Get the latest severe weather information across the USA Media Contact:
Frank Lepore, NOAA Hurricane Center, (305) 229-4404
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