Tropical Depression Erika weakens to remnant low

 

The forecast for the tropical system formerly formally known as Erika.

Tropical Depression Erika weakened to a remnant low late Thursday, and is forecast to dissipate in a day or so, reports the National Hurricane Center in Miami, which issued its final advisory on the system at 11 p.m.

At 11 p.m. Thursday, the center of the remnant low associated with former Tropical Depression Erika was located near latitude 16.8 north and longitude 65.6 west, or about 115 miles south-southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Maximum sustained winds are near 30 mph, with higher gusts in a few squalls.

The low is moving toward the west near 7 mph. A gradual turn to the west-northwest and northwest is expected Friday.

The remnants of Erika are expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 2 to 4 inches over Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands with isolated maximum amounts of 6 inches possible.

POSTED EARLIER:

Tropical weather: Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands brace for Erika

The five-day forecast for Tropical Storm Erika as released at 11 a.m. Thursday by the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are preparing for weather associated with Tropical Storm Erika.

New tropical storm warnings were issued Thursday morning for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands by the National Hurricane Center in Miami. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 24 hours.

A tropical storm warning also remains in effect for Dominica, Guadeloupe, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy, Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla, St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius. Interests in the Dominican Republic and Haiti should monitor the progress of Erika, according to the hurricane center.

At 11 a.m. Thursday, the center of the poorly organized storm was located near latitude 16.9 north and longitude 63.5 west, or about 100 miles east-southeast of St. Croix, and about 200 miles east-southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Erika is moving toward the west-northwest near 8 mph, and this motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days with a gradual increase in forward speed. On the forecast track, the weather associated with Erika will continue to move through the Leeward Islands today and approach the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico later today and tonight.

Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph with higher gusts. Gradual weakening is likely during the next couple of days. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 175 miles, primarily to the east of the storm's center.