Erika strengthens, bears down on Texas
Storm expected to reach hurricane strength
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Beachgoers play in the surf as Tropical Storm Erika makes its way to the South Texas coast.
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MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Tropical Storm Erika continues to gain power, edging closer to hurricane strength and closer to the south Texas coast, where it is expected to make landfall early Saturday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The latest advisory, issued at 3 a.m. EDT, predicted that Erika would grow into a Category One hurricane -- with at least 74 mph [118 kph] winds -- by the time it makes landfall early Saturday morning.
A hurricane warning was posted for the area from Brownsville, Texas, up the coast to Baffin Bay. The coast of Mexico from La Pesca northward to the U.S. border was also under a hurricane warning.
Erika has a quick westward pace -- 20 mph [31 kph] -- which should bring the storm ashore before sunrise Saturday, forecasters said. It was centered about 60 miles [97 kilometers] east of Brownsville as of 3 a.m. Saturday.
Along with wind damage, Erika is expected to leave three-to-six inches of rain in its path, according to the National Hurricane Center.
