Here's what you need to know about Tropical Storm Erika:

  • Location at 11 p.m. Friday: 18.5 N, 72.9 W
  • How far is it?
    • 40 mi. W of Port Au Prince, Haiti
    • 145 mi. SE of the eastern tip of Cuba
    • 687 mi. SE of Miami
    • 825 mi. SE of Melbourne
    • 866 mi. SE of Orlando
    • 899 mi. SE of Daytona Beach
  • Winds: 45 mph
  • Movement: WNW at 20 mph
  • Pressure: 1,008 mb / 29.77 inches
  • Jump to: Interactive Tracking Map ▼

Erika has picked up speed but continues to show disorganization. The center of circulation is forecast to move over the very rugged terrain of Hispaniola on Friday, and because of the storm's weak nature, there is still a chance Erika could be pulled apart.

This storm has two solid days of wind shear to work with as well, another factor keeping Erika a minimal, disorganized tropical storm.

The eventual track of Erika is still very much uncertain, and as mentioned above, what happens Friday afternoon and evening will ultimately determine its fate and track. Models are still shifting quite a bit, with some turning Erika north along Florida's east coast, one going up through the middle of the state, and one shifting west toward the Gulf of Mexico.

One thing is becoming a little clearer: Erika will probably not have enough time to regain enough strength to bring it to hurricane status before it impacts Florida.

Keep in mind, tropical storm force winds and flooding rain is still quite possible starting Sunday evening in South Florida and slowly moving across the state Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Strong sustained winds on saturated ground could help take down trees and bring large branches onto power lines. If the center of the storm is close to central Florida, we will also see an increased chance for a few brief tornadoes.

See Friday's latest advisory for Erika ▼


Interactive Hurricane Tracker


Tropical Storm Erika Advisory

11 p.m. — Erika continues to soak Hispaniola, heading for the Windward Passage.

Watches and Warnings

Changes with this advisory:

  • None

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

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area.

A tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.

Interests elsewhere in eastern and central Cuba, as well as the southern Florida Peninsula and Florida Keys, should monitor the progress of Erika.

Discussion and 48-hour outlook

At 11 PM EDT, the center of Tropical Storm Erika was estimated near latitude 18.5 north, longitude 72.9 west. Erika is moving toward the west-northwest near 20 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue with a decrease in forward speed during the next 48 hours. On the forecast track, the center of Erika will move over the Gulf of gonave early Saturday and will be near the southeastern Bahamas or eastern Cuba on Saturday afternoon.

Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph, with higher gusts. Weakening is forecast and Erika could become a tropical depression on Saturday. There is a good possibility that Erika could even degenerate into a trough of low pressure during while it is moving over the high terrain of Hispaniola and eastern Cuba.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 140 miles from the center.

The minimum central pressure based on hurricane hunter aircraft data and surface observations is 1,008 mb (29.77 inches).

Hazards affecting land

Wind: Tropical storm conditions across portions of the Dominican Republic are gradually subsiding. Tropical storm conditions are expected to continue across Haiti, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas tonight, and the central Bahamas on Saturday. Tropical storm conditions are possible in the northwestern Bahamas by Saturday night.

Rainfall: 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, 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 Advisory

Next complete advisory at 5 a.m.

Watch our exclusive Storm Threat 2015 special on Bright House Networks Local on Demand, Channel 999.