Tropical Storm ERIKA

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TROPICAL STORM ERIKA ADVISORY NUMBER   2
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
10 PM CDT THU AUG 14 2003

...ERIKA BECOMING BETTER ORGANIZED AS IT MOVES RAPIDLY WESTWARD
TOWARD THE SOUTHERN TEXAS AND NORTHEASTERN MEXICAN COASTS...
 
AT 10 PM CDT...0300Z...A HURRICANE WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE
SOUTH TEXAS COAST FROM PORT O'CONNOR SOUTHWARD TO BROWNVILLE. A
HURRICANE WARNING WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED FRIDAY MORNING FOR A
PORTION OF THE WATCH AREA.
 
AT 10 PM CDT...0300Z...THE GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO HAS ISSUED A
HURRICANE WATCH FOR NORTHEASTERN MEXICO FROM THE RIO GRANDE RIVER
SOUTHWARD TO BOCA SANTA MARIA.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED FRIDAY MORNING FOR
PORTIONS OF THE TEXAS COAST WITHIN AND TO THE NORTH OF THE
HURRICANE WATCH AREA.

AT 10 PM CDT...0300Z...REPORTS FROM A RECONNAISSANCE PLANE INDICATE
THE WELL-DEFINED CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ERIKA WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 26.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE  86.5 WEST OR ABOUT 235 MILES...
375 KM...SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
 
ERIKA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 23 MPH...37 KM/HR...AND THIS
GENERAL MOTION SHOULD CONTINUE TONIGHT WITH A GRADUAL DECREASE IN
FORWARD SPEED EXPECTED BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON. ON THIS TRACK...THE
CENTER OF ERIKA IS FORECAST TO REACH THE COASTS OF TEXAS OR MEXICO
ON SATURDAY.
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR  45 MPH... 75 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. ADDITONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
 
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO  45 MILES
... 75 KM FROM THE CENTER. STRONGER WINDS...ESPECIALLY IN
GUSTS...WILL AFFECT OIL PLATFORMS WELL IN ADVANCE AND TO THE 
NORTH OF ERIKA.  
 
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1008 MB...29.77 INCHES.
 
REPEATING THE 10 PM CDT POSITION...26.6 N... 86.5 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST NEAR 23 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS... 45 MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1008 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 1 AM CDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT
COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 4 AM CDT.
 
FORECASTER STEWART
 
 
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