ORLANDO, Fla. – Tropical Storm Erika produced very heavy rains over portions of the Leeward Islands Thursday as the cone continues to show the storm approaching Florida. But the storm is no longer forecast to strengthen to a hurricane.
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At 5 a.m. Friday, the National Hurricane Center said Erika had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and was moving west-northwest at 17 mph. It was located 155 miles east-southeast of the Dominican Republic.
The National Hurricane Center now predicts the storm will never strengthen into a hurricane and will make landfall in South Florida as a tropical storm and then move north across the state.
On Thursday, four people were killed in Dominica in severe flooding and mudslides caused by Erika as the storm made landfall.
Little change in strength is expected over the next two days as the storm moves toward Florida.
"Here's what you want to see, the brand new track, notice how it's very tightly wound through Puerto Rico in the next 24 to 48 hours and over to the Dominican Republic and out," said Local 6 Chief Meteorologist Tom Sorrells. "If the storm survives until Friday into Saturday ... we ought to have a good idea of what's going to happen with it."
Gov. Rick Scott held a news conference Thursday to address Floridians about the storm.
"We've been very fortunate for a long time, and we've got to get prepared," he said.
Scott said the Florida National Guard can used if Erika were to impact Florida.
Meanwhile, rain chances will increase Friday in Central Florida to 60 percent as a front in north Florida slowly slides into the region.
Afternoon high temperatures in Orlando will be near 90 degrees. The average high for Orlando is 91.
Rain chances will be 60 percent in the Orlando area through Monday.
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