Tacking Erika…..5am Report

WHCA31 TAPA
TROPICAL STORM ERIKA WARNING STATEMENT
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
5:00 AM ECT THU AUG 27 2015

THIS IS FOR ST KITTS AND NEVIS

…ERIKA A LITTLE STRONGER, CENTER PASSING BETWEEN GUADELOUPE AND ANTIGUA…….

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ST. KITTS AND NEVIS.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA, IN THIS CASE, WITHIN 12 HOURS. RESIDENTS SHOULD RUSH TO COMPLETION STORM PLANS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.

AT 5:00 AM ECT OR 0900 UTC, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ERIKA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 16.8 NORTH, LONGITUDE 61.5 WEST OR ABOUT 95 MILES EAST OF ST. KITTS.

ERIKA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST AT A REDUCE FORWARD SPEED OF NEAR 16 MPH. A WEST TO WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION WITH THE SAME FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 48 HOURS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF ERIKA WILL MOVE NEAR OR OVER ST. KITTS AND NEVIS LATE THURSDAY MORNING.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 50 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES PRIMARILY TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE CENTER.

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1003 MB OR 29.62 INCHES.

ERIKA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE MINIMAL STORM FORCE WINDS ACROSS THE ISLANDS RANGING BETWEEN 35 AND 55 MPH. HOWEVER, PEAK GUSTS OF 50 TO 75 MPH ARE POSSIBLE.

MARINERS SHOULD HAVE ALREADY SOUGHT SAFE ANCHORAGE FOR THEIR VESSELS, AS SEAS ARE DETERIORATING AND COULD PEAK NEAR 12 FEET DURING THE PASSAGE OF ERIKA.

POSSIBLE RAINFALL TOTAL FROM ERIKA IS EXPECTED TO BE GENERALLY LESS THAN THREE INCHES. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE REQUIRED.

RESIDENTS SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF ERIKA UNTIL IT IS OUT OF OUR AREA.

REPEATING THE 5:00 AM POSITION, LOCATION…16.8N 61.5W
ABOUT 95 MILES EAST OF ST KITTS
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…50 MPH…85 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT…W OR 280 DEGREES AT 16 MPH…26 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…1003 MB…29.62 INCHES