GREAT BAY,– St. Maarten as of 5.00pm has been placed under a Tropical Storm Watch as Tropical Storm Erika has formed East of the Leeward Islands. Residents are therefore advised to continue to monitor weather reports this evening and throughout tomorrow.
Additional information will be made available on Wednesday with respect to possible actions that need to be taken.
Erika is expected to remain to the Northeast of the Leeward Islands. At 5.00pm, Erika was located 390 miles East of the Northern Leeward Islands.
A Tropical Storm Watch means that there is a possible threat of tropical storm conditions within the next 36 hours while a Tropical Storm Warning is an indication that storm conditions can be expected within 24 hours.
The Office of Disaster Management & Preparedness (ODMP) will continue to closely monitor Tropical Storm Erika.
Tropical Storm Erika on Tuesday at 5.00pm had sustained wind speeds of 50 miles per hour with higher gusts; is moving West-Northwest at 9 miles per hour. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 105 miles from the center of the system.