Forecasters and emergency agencies prepped for a long
weekend early Friday as Tropical Storm Erika wobbled toward Puerto Rico and
then the southern Atlantic coast, where it could be a hurricane when it arrives
early next week. A tropical storm warning was in effect for Puerto Rico and
the U.S. Virgin Islands after Erika caused mudslides blamed for at least four
deaths on the Caribbean island of Dominica. More than 12 inches of rain poured down on Dominica in less
than 12 hours, the National Weather Service said — and it could do close to the
same overnight and Friday on Puerto Rico, where forecasters warned that major
flooding is possible. After that, it's anybody's guess.
The center of Erika started "wobbling" Thursday,
according to the weather service, making it difficult to project its course.
The storm was about 135 miles south east of San Juan, Puerto Rico, at 11 p.m.
Thursday night with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, the National Hurricane
Center said. Late Thursday afternoon, forecasters said Erika looked
increasingly likely to reach the U.S. mainland Monday night or Tuesday morning,
possibly as a Category 1 hurricane.
TODAY (Aug. 28, 2015) weather anchor Al Roker said coastal areas were likely
to get 5 to 7 inches of rain by next week — with some getting as much as a
foot."
"It's been 10 years since Florida had a significant
hurricane, and this one could be the one," Roker said Thursday evening.
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