Tropical Storm ERIKA

ZCZC MIATCPAT3 ALL
TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM
BULLETIN
TROPICAL STORM ERIKA ADVISORY NUMBER   1
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
5 PM EDT THU AUG 14 2003

...ERIKA...THE FIFTH TROPICAL STORM OF THE SEASON FORMS IN THE GULF
OF MEXICO...
 
TROPICAL STORM ERIKA COULD THREATEN SOUTHERN TEXAS OR NORTHEASTERN
MEXICO WITHIN THE NEXT 36 TO 48 HOURS. WATCHES OR WARNINGS WILL
LIKELY BE ISSUED TONIGHT OR EARLY FRIDAY.  CONSULT STATEMENTS
ISSUED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES FOR
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS IN YOUR AREA.
 
REPORTS FROM A RECONNAISSANCE PLANE AND SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATE
THAT THE AREA OF DISTURBED WEATHER IN THE GULF OF MEXICO HAS BECOME
TROPICAL STORM ERIKA...THE FIFTH TROPICAL STORM OF THE SEASON.
   
AT 5 PM EDT...2100Z...THE POORLY-DEFINED CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM
ERIKA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 26.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE  84.4 WEST
OR ABOUT 350 MILES ...565 KM SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
 
ERIKA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 21 MPH...33 KM/HR...AND THIS
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR  40 MPH... 65 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS.  SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
 
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 70 MILES...110 KM TO
THE NORTH OF THE CENTER.  STRONGER WINDS...ESPECIALLY IN
GUSTS...ARE LIKELY TO AFFECT OIL RIGS NEAR AND TO THE NORTH OF
ERIKA.  
 
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE PLANE WAS 1011
MB...29.85 INCHES.
 
REPEATING THE 5 PM EDT POSITION...26.2 N... 84.4 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST NEAR 21 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 40 MPH. 
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1011 MB.
 
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR
PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
 
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT
11 PM EDT.
 
FORECASTER AVILA
 
 
NNNN