Tropical Storm Erika forms in Atlantic; forecasters uncertain about further strengthening - Breaking News from the Press-Register - al.com

Tropical Storm Erika forms in Atlantic; forecasters uncertain about further strengthening - Breaking News from the Press-Register - al.com: "Tropical Storm Erika developed Tuesday afternoon from an area of disturbed weather east of the northern Leeward Islands.

Maximum sustained winds were near 50 mph as of late Tuesday afternoon as the storm spun toward the west-northwest about 9 mph.


Erika was expected to keep encountering wind shear for several days, but could still strengthen further, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

While some computer forecast models indicated that wind shear may keep Erika weak, others still pointed to the possibility of the storm becoming a hurricane, according to forecasters at the hurricane center."