Tropical Storm ERIKA

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BULLETIN
TROPICAL STORM ERIKA ADVISORY NUMBER   5
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
4 PM CDT FRI AUG 15 2003

...ERIKA EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL IN SOUTH TEXAS AND NORTHEASTERN
MEXICO AS A HURRICANE...
 
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM BROWNSVILLE TO BAFFIN BAY
TEXAS. A HURRICANE WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FROM LA PESCA MEXICO
NORTHWARD TO THE U.S. BORDER.
 
A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION IN THE
HURRICANE WARNING AREA.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NORTH OF BAFFIN BAY
TO PORT O'CONNOR.
 
AT 4 PM CDT...2100Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ERIKA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 26.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE  93.5 WEST OR ABOUT 245 MILES
...395 KM...EAST OF BROWNSVILLE TEXAS.
 
ERIKA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 22 MPH...35 KM/HR. ON THIS
TRACK...THE CENTER OF ERIKA IS FORECAST TO BE ON THE COAST WITHIN
THE WARNING AREA EARLY SATURDAY.
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 60 MPH...95 KM/HR
...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ERIKA IS FORECAST TO BECOME A HURRICANE PRIOR
TO LANDFALL.
 
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140 MILES...220 KM
FROM THE CENTER. 
 
LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE PLANE WAS
1000 MB...29.53 INCHES.

STORM SURGE FLOODING IS EXPECTED TO BE 3 TO 6 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE
LEVELS...ALONG WITH LARGE BATTERING WAVES...NEAR AND TO THE NORTH OF
WHERE THE CENTER CROSSES THE COAST.
 
RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED HIGHER
AMOUNTS...CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR THE PATH OF ERIKA.
 
THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF ISOLATED TORNADOES ALONG THE MIDDLE TEXAS
COAST BEGINNING TONIGHT.
 
REPEATING THE 4 PM CDT POSITION...26.0 N... 93.5 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST NEAR 22 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 60 MPH. 
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1000 MB.
 
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR
PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
 
AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER AT 7 PM CDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 10 PM
CDT.
 
FORECASTER AVILA
 
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