page_title: Tropical Storm Erika (2009)
section_title: Meteorological history
hierarchical_section_title: Tropical Storm Erika (2009) / Meteorological history
caption_attribution_description: English: Track map of Tropical Storm Erika of the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season. The points show the location of the storm at 6-hour intervals. The colour represents the storm's maximum sustained wind speeds as classified in the Saffir–Simpson scale (see below), and the shape of the data points represent the nature of the storm, according to the legend below. Saffir–Simpson scale Tropical depression≤38 mph≤62 km/h Category 3111–129 mph178–208 km/h Tropical storm39–73 mph63–118 km/h Category 4130–156 mph209–251 km/h Category 174–95 mph119–153 km/h Category 5≥157 mph≥252 km/h Category 296–110 mph154–177 km/h Unknown Storm type Tropical cyclone Subtropical cyclone Extratropical cyclone / Remnant low / Tropical disturbance / Monsoon depression
context_page_description: Tropical Storm Erika was a short-lived tropical cyclone that had minor impacts in the Lesser Antilles. The fifth named storm of the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season, Erika originated out of a tropical wave on September 1 near the Lesser Antilles. Although it was a disorganized system, it was immediately declared a tropical storm, rather than a tropical depression. Later that day, the system reached its peak intensity with winds of 50 mph and a barometric pressure of 1004 mbar. Increased wind shear caused the storm to weaken shortly thereafter, with Erika barely maintaining tropical storm-status by September 2. Later that day, the storm passed over the island of Guadeloupe and entered the Caribbean Sea. On September 3, Erika weakened to a tropical depression as the low pressure center became fully displaced from convective activity. Later that day, the system degenerated into a remnant low before dissipating near Puerto Rico on September 4.
  Due to the storm's low intensity, Erika produced little damage in the Lesser Antilles during its passage through the islands.
context_section_description: Tropical Storm Erika originated from a tropical wave accompanied by disorganized shower and thunderstorm activity that moved off the west coast of Africa, near the Cape Verde Islands, on August 25. The following day, convection surrounding the wave began to show signs of organization as it tracked westward across the Atlantic. By August 28, an area of low pressure developed from the wave. Environmental conditions ahead of the low were favorable for further development of the system. Despite the favorable conditions, the low became increasingly disorganized on August 29, with little convection remaining around the center of circulation. The next day, the system quickly became organized, with shower and thunderstorms developing around the center and the National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted that the low would likely become a tropical depression within 24 hours. Although convection was well-organized, the system lacked a defined low-level circulation center, leading to the NHC not issuing advisories on the system at that time.
  On September 1, a Hurricane Hunter reconnaissance mission into the low found a closed circulation center and tropical storm-force winds. Upon finding the low-level circulation center, the NHC began monitoring the system as Tropical Storm Erika, the fifth named storm of the 2009 season. Erika was slightly disorganized due to moderate wind shear, with the center partially devoid of convection. However, with warm sea surface temperatures, the storm was forecast to intensify to a strong tropical storm within a few days. A mid-level ridge to the north led to Erika maintaining a general westward track for most of its existence. Several hours after being classified, the storm reached its peak intensity with winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a barometric pressure of 1004 mbar (hPa; 29.65 inHg). However, the peak intensity was operationally placed at 60 mph (95 km/h) based on readings from reconnaissance missions. In post-storm analysis of these readings, it was determined that the NHC had overestimated the wind speeds in an area of unusually heavy rains. By the morning of September 2, Erika became significantly disorganized, and Hurricane Hunters reported the possibility that multiple circulation centers existed within the broader storm system.
  Wind shear began to increase earlier than forecast models anticipated, causing the storm to weaken into a minimal tropical storm later that morning. Around 1830 UTC, the center of Erika passed over the island of Guadeloupe with winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) as the storm entered the eastern Caribbean Sea. The circulation later became elongated and began to degenerate into a trough of low pressure. The NHC noted that due to the large size of the overall system, the center of Erika could reform elsewhere and restrengthen. Following a brief increase in convective activity, the storm slightly intensified before succumbing to wind shear once more. By the afternoon of September 3, the center of Erika was fully devoid of convection and the NHC downgraded it to a tropical depression. Shortly after, the system degenerated into a remnant low, coinciding with the issuance of the final advisory from the NHC. The following day, the remnants approached the southern coast of Puerto Rico, producing heavy rainfall across the island. The system was last noted later on September 4 as it dissipated roughly 80 mi (140 km) south of Puerto Rico.
caption: Map plotting the track and the intensity of the storm, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
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