Alert #8 on Tropical Storm Erika issued by the bahamas department of meteorology at 6pm EDT, Thursday, 27th August, 2015.
Tropical Storm Erika producing very heavy rains over portions of the Leeward Islands.
A Tropical Storm Watch remains in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Southeast Bahamas which includes the islands of Inagua, Mayaguana, Acklins, Crooked Island and Ragged Island.
A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions can possibly be experienced in those islands within the next 48 hours.
A Tropical Storm Alert also remains in effect for the islands of the Central Bahamas which includes the islands of Long Island, Cat Island, the Exumas, San Salvador and Rum Cay.
A Tropical Storm Alert means that tropical storm conditions can possibly be experienced in those islands within the next 60 hours.
At 5pm EDT, the center of Tropical Storm Erika was located near latitude 16.6 degrees north and longitude 64.0 degrees west or about 500 miles east-southeast of Grand Turk, 585 miles east-southeast of Inagua and 910 miles southeast of New Providence.
Erika is moving toward the west-northwest near 15 miles per hour. This general motion should continue for the next 48 hours. On this track, the center of Erika will move near the Turks and Caicos islands and the Southeast Bahamas early Saturday morning.
Maximum sustained winds are near 45 miles per hour with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast during the next 48 hours.
Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 140 miles of the center.
Rainfall: Erika is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 4 to 8 inches with maximum amounts of 12 inches across the Southeast Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands through Saturday.
Residents in the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Southeast Bahamas which includes the islands of Inagua, Mayaguana, Acklins, Crooked Island and Ragged Island should begin to secure their properties. Due to the amount of rainfall associated with TS Erika moderate to severe flooding should be expected.
Small craft operators in the watch area should continue to monitor the progress of Erika.
See latest news on Tropical Storm Erika at NOAA.
