DATE ISSUED: Tuesday, August 25, 2015TIME ISSUED: 08:30 PM
…TROPICAL STORM ERIKA WEAKENS SLIGHTLY …AIR FORCE AND NOAA PLANES FIND ERIKA POORLY ORGANIZED…
…ERIKA EXPECTED TO BE NEAR THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS TOMORROW NIGHT…
Location: Lat. 15.8N ….Lon. 53.6W
About: 560 miles ESE of St. Maarten
Maximum sustained winds: 40 mph ….65 KM/H
Present Movement: W…280 degrees at 20 mph
Minimum Central Pressure: 1006 mb….29.71 inches
DISCUSSION AND 24-HOUR OUTLOOK AT 08:00 PM…THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ERIKA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 15.8 NORTH…LONGITUDE 53.6 WEST OR ABOUT 560 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF ST. MAARTEN. ERIKA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 20 MPH, AND A WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION AT A SLIGHTLY SLOWER FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 48 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40 MPH…65 KM/H…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME SLOW STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 80 MILES (130 KM) FROM THE CENTER. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1006 MB…29.71 INCHES. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF ERIKA WILL PASS NEAR ST. MAARTEN SOMETIME WEDNESDAY NIGHT TO EARLY THURSDAY MORNING.
HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND AND SEA
WIND:
Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area by Wednesday night or early Thursday.
RAINFALL:
Erika is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 2 to 4 inches over many of the Northern Leeward Islands through Thursday.
STORM SURGE/WAVES:
Erika expected to produce waves up to 13 feet near the center of the Storm as it approaches the Northern Leeward Islands. Some coastal flooding and beach erosion is possible on Thursday as the storm passes its nearest to St. Maarten.
ALL CITIZENS/ RESIDENTS SHOULD REMAIN VIGILANT AND MAKE PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY AND BE READY TO TAKE THE NECESSARY ACTION WHEN CALLED UPON.
THE METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR TROPICAL STORM ERIKA AND ISSUE SPECIAL WEATHER BULLETINS.
The next update will be issued Wednesday at 05:30 Lst (09:30 UTC).
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA…GENERALLY WITHIN 48 HOURS.
