A tropical storm warning was issued for Dominica yesterday as Tropical Storm Erika moved closer to the Leeward Islands and the French island of Guadeloupe, according to a report on www.cananews.com.

But weather forecasters said that the storm, the fifth since the start of the 2009 hurricane season in June, could weaken to become a tropical depression over the next few days.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said at 5.pm, the centre of the poorly organised storm was estimated near latitude 16.4 north, longitude 61.7 west or "very near Guadeloupe and about 320 miles east-south east of San Juan Puerto Rico.

Tropical storm warnings have been issued for, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy, Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla, St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius, while a tropical storm watch is in effect for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

The storm is packing sustained winds of 40 miles per hour and NHC said "little change in strength is forecast and Erika could weaken into a Tropical Depression during the next couple of days".