Tropical Storm Erika Takes Deadly Turn on Path to Florida

Tropical Storm Erika’s westward trek toward Florida took a deadly turn Thursday morning as her path took her past Dominica.

Officials there have confirmed at least two deaths and say as many as five people are missing, according to several media outlets. The storm is also causing widespread flooding as it makes its way through the Caribbean.

According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm was moving westward at 12 mph and had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph as of 8 p.m. Thursday. It was located about 145 southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

While it’s still too early to tell the eventual path the storm will take, the hurricane center has put most of Florida – including the Tampa Bay area – in the five-day cone of uncertainty. With that in mind, the state’s Emergency Operations Center has activated and residents throughout much of the state are being asked to keep an eye on the weather and prepare just in case.

See Also:

• Florida Prepares as Tropical Storm Erika Draws Closer
• Hurricane Season: How to Prepare
• Tampa Bay ‘Ripe for Disaster,’ Hurricane Experts Say

“Our recommendation is that everyone monitor local media and find out what’s going on,” Owen Roach, emergency operations center spokesman, said. “I can’t stress enough, listen to the radio, get your cellphone out and ensure you’re prepared.”

As of 8 p.m. Thursday, the projected path was holding strong with most of the Sunshine State and parts of southern Georgia and South Carolina within in the five-day cone.

There is margin for error in the forecast track, especially when predicting storm movement four to five days out, the hurricane center stresses.

“One should remember to not focus on the exact forecast track, especially at the long range where the average NHC track errors during the past 5 years are about 180 miles at day 4 and 240 miles at day 5,” the center said.

As Tropical Storm Erika continues westward, Tampa Bay area residents are bracing for the potential for more thunderstorms in the region. The National Weather Service anticipates a 50 percent chance of storms on Thursday followed by a 60 percent chance on Friday and Saturday.

For a complete look at weather in your neighborhood, visit your local Patch’s homepage.

Graphic courtesy of the National Hurricane Center

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 1:49 p.m. Aug. 27 with the latest information on the storm.