Ураган Эрика: самый мощный циклон Атлантики 1997 года.

Category 3 Atlantic hurricane
other storms named Erika

Hurricane Erika was the strongest and longest lasting tropical cyclone in the 1997 Atlantic hurricane season. It developed from a tropical wave on September 3 and moved west northwestward across the tropical Atlantic Ocean, steadily intensifying until it attained hurricane status on September 4, becoming the fifth named storm and third hurricane of the season. Erika passed a short distance to the north of the Lesser Antilles, and later turned to the north in response to an approaching trough. The hurricane quickly strengthened to become the only major hurricane of the season, reaching maximum sustained winds of on September 8; after maintaining its peak strength for 24 hours, Erika began to weaken as it passed over cooler waters. It turned to the east, weakened to a tropical storm, and became extratropical after passing near the Azores archipelago. The hurricane produced light rainfall and winds throughout the northern Lesser Antilles. The passage of Erika carried a cloud of volcanic ash to Antigua from the eruption of the Soufrière Hills Volcano on Montserrat, a rare occurrence. Strong waves from the hurricane produced beach erosion and coastal flooding in northern Puerto Rico, and caused the death of two surfers. Moderate wind gusts in the northern Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico left thousands of residents without power, and resulted in $10 million (1997 USD, $12.6 million 2006 USD) in damage in the U. S. Caribbean territories. Erika also produced gusty winds and light rain in the Azores. Erika was the only tropical cyclone in the Atlantic Ocean in the months of August and September, the first occurrence of such event in an Atlantic hurricane season since 1929.

A large tropical wave, which eventually became Erika, moved off the coast of Africa on August 31. Shortly after leaving the coast, it displayed a large low level circulation, though as it tracked westward, the circulation failed to contract significantly. It slowly organized, and by September 3 the convection within the circulation had sufficiently organized for the system to be classified as Tropical Depression Six, while located about 1150 mile (1851 km) east of the southernmost Lesser Antilles. The depression moved west northwestward at approximately under the influence of a well established subtropical ridge, and late on September 3 the system intensified into a tropical storm. At that time, the National Hurricane Center in Miami gave the storm the name of Erika. Erika continued to the west northwest, and in the early hours of September 4, an eye like feature appeared to have developed in the center of the deep convection. The feature was not an eye, though, as visible satellite imagery revealed a center partially exposed from the convection. Despite unfavorable wind shear, Erika strengthened further and intensified into a hurricane late on September 4, while located 530 mile (853 km) east southeast of Guadeloupe. Deep convection re developed near the center, and the hurricane slowly strengthened as it continued west northwestward. Hurricane Erika decelerated its forward motion as it approached the Lesser Antilles, and passed within 85 mile (137 km) of the islands as a Category 1 hurricane. An approaching trough weakened the subtropical ridge, resulting in Erika turning to the north and later to the northeast. On September 7, Erika began to quickly intensify, and the hurricane reached its peak strength of on September 8, while located about 350 mile (563 km) north of the Lesser Antilles. Erika maintained peak intensity for about 24 hours before weakening over cooler waters. The governments of the islands in the predicted path of Erika urged residents to quickly prepare for the hurricane through radio addresses. In the wake of busy seasons in 1995 and 1996, which some islands were still recovering from, emergency preparations began. In Puerto Rico, fishermen secured their boats in preparation for the storm. Also on the island, citizens formed long lines at gas stations and purchased emergency supplies. Officials in Anguilla enacted a plan that would turn off the island's power supply if the winds exceeded As a precaution, authorities on Saint Martin enacted a curfew for all but those in service jobs.

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 islands in the Lesser Antilles. On Saint Croix, the hurricane produced sustained winds of and a peak wind gust of at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport. Rainfall on the island was light, peaking at 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 and a peak wind gust of 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 Bayamón. Rainfall was light on the island, with Caguas reporting a peak total of The hurricane produced swells of 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. 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 The lowest recorded pressure by a ship was 1000.4 mbar (29.542 inHg) while located 105 mile (169 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 mile (306 km) from the center. While passing near the Azores, Tropical Storm Erika produced maximum sustained winds of at Lajes Field. Gusts were much stronger, with a report of in Flores. In addition, a 200 feet (61 m) tower on Lajes recorded a gust of The storm dropped up to of rain in Flores and produced rough seas throughout the archipelago. Damage, if any, is unknown in the Azores.