Tropical Storm ERIKA

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TROPICAL STORM ERIKA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER  4A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
1 PM CDT FRI AUG 15 2003
 
...ERIKA GRADUALLY BECOMING BETTER ORGANIZED...RACING TOWARD SOUTH
TEXAS AND NORTHEASTERN MEXICO...
 
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 1 PM CDT...1800Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ERIKA WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 26.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE  92.5 WEST OR ABOUT
310 MILES...495 KM...EAST OF BROWNSVILLE TEXAS.
 
ERIKA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 23 MPH...37 KM/HR...AND THIS
GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON
THIS TRACK...ERIKA IS FORECAST TO BE ON THE COAST WITHIN THE
WARNING AREA EARLY SATURDAY.
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MPH...85 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST AND ERIKA COULD REACH
HURRICANE STATUS PRIOR TO LANDFALL.
 
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115 MILES...185 KM
MAINLY TO THE NORTH OF THE CENTER.
 
AN AIR FORCE PLANE JUST REPORTED A MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 1001
MB...29.56 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 1 PM CDT POSITION...26.0 N... 92.5 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST NEAR 23 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 50 MPH. 
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1001 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
4 PM CDT.
 
FORECASTER AVILA
 
 
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