Impact
Hurricane Erika produced strong waves and high low-level winds throughout the Lesser Antilles. Just weeks after the eruption of the Soufrière Hills Volcano on Montserrat, the storm blew a cloud of falling ash over Antigua. Tropical storm-force winds affected several of the island in the Lesser Antilles.
Winds from Hurricane Erika peaked at 37 mph (60 km/h) with a gust of 47 mph (76 km/h) in the Cyril E. King Airport on Saint Thomas. The outer rainbands produced light to moderate rainfall in the Virgin Islands, peaking at 3.28 inches (83 mm) at the University of the Virgin Islands in Saint Thomas and 1.32 inches (36 mm) in Saint John. The precipitation produced localized street flooding, while the combination of winds and rain caused power interruptions. Offshore, strong waves capsized one dinghy and broke a 50-foot (15 m) boat from its moorings. On Saint Croix, the hurricane produced sustained winds of 25 mph (40 km/h) and a peak wind gust of 29 mph (46 km/h) at the Henry E. Rohlsen International Airport. Rainfall on the island was light, peaking at 0.83 inches (21 mm) at Christiansted. The wind gusts downed a few power lines, and damage was minor.
The outer rainbands of Erika passed over Puerto Rico, producing maximum sustained winds of 23 mph (37 km/h) and a peak wind gust of 42 mph (68 km/h) at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. The wind gusts snapped tree branches into power lines, leaving up to 12,000 people without power in San Juan, Guaynabo and Bayamon. Rainfall was light on the island, with Caguas reporting a peak total of 0.77 inches (20 mm). The hurricane produced swells of 10 to 12 ft (3 to 3.7 m) on the northern coast of Puerto Rico, causing beach erosion or coastal flooding. One road was closed when sections of it were flooded or washed out. The strong waves forced the evacuation of eight families in the northern portion of the island. The strong waves killed two surfers in the northeastern waters of the island. Damage in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands totaled to $10 million (1997 USD, $12.6 million 2006 USD) in a preliminary estimate.
Thirty-one ships encountered Erika from September 4, when it was a tropical storm, to September 18, when it was extratropical. Two recorded hurricane force winds, with a peak wind report of 99 mph (159 km/h). The lowest recorded pressure by a ship was 1000.4 mbar (29.542 inHg) while located 105 miles (170 km) from Erika as an extratropical storm. The lowest recorded pressure while Erika was a tropical cyclone was 1000.5 mbar (29.545 inHg) while located 190 miles (305 km) from the center. While passing near the Azores, Tropical Storm Erika produced maximum sustained winds of 30 mph (48 km/h) at Lajes Field. Gusts were much stronger, with a report of 87 mph (140 km/h) in Flores. In addition, a 200 ft (61 m) tower on Lajes recorded a gust of 105 mph (169 km/h). The storm dropped up to 2.35 inches (60 mm) of rain in Flores and produced rough seas throughout the archipelago. Damage, if any, is unknown in the Azores.
Read more about this topic: Hurricane Erika (1997)
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