Tropical Storm Erika

Tropical Storm Erika

Tropical Storm Erika has forced at least one cruise ship sailing in the Eastern Caribbean to change course as it barrels westward toward St. Maarten and other popular ports. Carnival says the Carnival Glory will remain at sea today instead of visiting St. Maarten as originally scheduled. The 2,974-passenger vessel, which departed Port Canaveral, Fla., on Saturday, instead will visit the island of Grand Turk on Thursday before returning to Florida.

More itinerary changes could come over the next few days as the storm moves westward. The National Hurricane Center says some computer models show Erika approaching hurricane strength, although its own forecast call for the "poorly organized" storm to remain relatively weak. As of 11:00 AM AST, Erika was 100 miles east-southeast of the Leeward Islands and moving westward at about 10 miles per hour. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 105 miles.

A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for the islands of Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla, St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius. Cruise Loggers, are you sailing in the Eastern Caribbean this week? We'd like to hear from you.

Hurricane Erika

Hurricane Erika

Tropical Storm Erika has formed quietly, since Tropical Storm Erika is on the heels of Hurricane Jimena. But Tropical Storm Erika is the Atlantic's newest storm, even though the possible Hurricane Erika may not cause that much damage. Nevertheless, while attention focuses on the PacificTropical Storm Erika Struggles to Become Hurricane Erika and Hurricane Jimena, Erika will take up the attention of the Atlantic. But it is the Leeward Islands that are most concerned with Erika at the moment.

Tropical Storm Erika officially formed last night in the Atlantic, and is now moving forward. As of 8 a.m. EST, Tropical Storm Erika was 160 miles east-southeast of the Leeward Islands, with maximum winds at a mere 45 mph. Despite being relatively small and uncertain to become Hurricane Erika, it is nevertheless the fifth storm system of the Atlantic hurricane season. Thus far, Tropical Storm Erika is resembling Danny, which was only a minor hurricane that went down to tropical depression status by the time it reached land. The projected path of Tropical Storm Erika is uncertain thus far, as is whether the system could become a hurricane later in the week.

The Tropical Storm Erika projected path possibilities have it going either towards the Southeast and Florida - which has been relatively spared from hurricanes thus far this season - or headed for the West and areas like Puerto Rica and Cuba. For now, the system is heading for the Leeward Islands to deliver a few inches of rain. Afterwards, a possible Hurricane Erika could head for the north, but it appears too disorganized for forecasters to be sure at the moment. If this is all that the system is going to do, then it would be another Atlantic storm front that ultimately provides little damage. The real action remains in the Pacific, as Hurricane Jimena storms its way through Mexico and Baja California. But the much hyped Hurricane Jimena is starting to weaken itself, to the relief of thousands in the affected areas - though the damage may still be substantial.

Hurricane Jimena Path

Hurricane Jimena Path

Hurricane Jimena closes in on Mexico's Baja peninsula An "extremely dangerous" Hurricane Jimena bore down Tuesday on the Mexican peninsula of Baja California, with the resort town of Cabo San Lucas lying in its path. The government of Mexico extended a hurricane warning northward along the west coast of the Baja peninsula to Puerto San Andresito and east to the city of Loreto, the U.S. National Weather Service said in an advisory at 5 a.m. ET Tuesday.

The hurricane warning means hurricane conditions are expected in the warning area within the next 24 hours, and forecasters predicted Jimena would strike Baja California by Tuesday evening. There were long lines in supermarkets in most cities on the peninsula as people hurriedly bought storm supplies. Early Tuesday, forecasters warned people in that area to act quickly "to protect life and property" because Jimena was packing winds close to 155 mph (250 kph). In addition to damaging winds, the storm could bring as much as 15 inches of rain, forecasters said. Early Tuesday, Jimena was centered about 185 miles (300 kilometers) south of Cabo San Lucas, according to the Hurricane Center. It was traveling northwest near 12 mph.

Jimena is the 10th named storm of the Pacific season and was dangerously close to becoming a Category 5 storm, the most powerful category of hurricane. A resident of Los Cabos, at the very tip of the peninsula, said Monday that people in his town were preparing for the storm and were getting a preview as winds and rain began to pick up. Cuauhtemoc Morgan, who sent videos to to CNN's iReport, said residents had protected every home in his neighborhood, fortifying windows with masking tape. Lines at supermarkets were long with worried residents preparing for the storms, Morgan said.