Hurricane Erika heads toward Florida, likely will affect sports, teams

Ray Slover

•
Hurricane Erika heads toward Florida, likely will affect sports, teams image

UPDATE: Florida is under a state of emergency order in advance of Erika's expected Monday arrival

If forecasters are correct, Florida could be hit by a hurricane next week, its first in 10 years.

Hurricane Erika currently tracks through the Caribbean into the Sunshine State for a Monday landfall. If the track holds, the question will be how strong Erika is when it strikes.

MORE: NFL schedule | MLB dates | What's ahead for college football

Sports will be affected, but with the Marlins and Rays playing on the road there will be no direct consequences for Major League Baseball. Should Erika push nasty weather north, Atlanta would be among the first big-league cities to feel its wrath. The Marlins play in Atlanta starting Monday. The Rays will be in Baltimore.

Football will likely be the sport most directly affected. The Jaguars have a home exhibition on Friday while Erika is adding to misery on Hispanola countries Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The Buccaneers and Dolphins have preseason games on Saturday, when the hurricane is thrashing Cuba.

The NFL's 2015 season begins Sept. 10, so it might escape the worst of Erika. But the Dolphins are scheduled to play at home on Sept. 3 against the Dolphins in the teams' final exhibition.

HURRICANE KATRINA: Deuce McAllister remembers | Kelly Oubre moves on | Saints' 05 escape | Leonard Fournette's motivation | Images from storm that ate New Orleans

More likely, practices for pro and college teams in Florida will be affected. College football, for example, gets in full swing on Sept. 3, including Florida International at Central Florida. Miami (Fla.) is at home on Sept. 5. The state's other major football programs play elsewhere.

But residual rain and cleanup could alter schedules into Georgia and South Carolina, if not farther north. Erika's arrival also might force schools to send their teams to safer areas.

NASCAR's next Sprint Cup race is at Darlington, S.C., on Sunday, Sept. 6. Teams normally would begin arriving days early for the race. Festivities for the Southern 500, including festivals and parades, begin on Sept. 3. Teams begin practice on Sept. 4 and qualify on Sept. 5.

Outdoor and watersports will feel Erika's impact as well, from dangerous winds to surges in waves and tides.

Forecasters say Erika will veer east at some point but possibly not before unloading on Florida. If strong enough, remnants could produce weather problems into the Carolinas and west to Louisiana.

Not since Hurricane Wilma in 2005 has Florida been in line for a major storm. Forecasters' advice: Prepare now.

"This is a good time for residents of the Bahamas and Florida to review hurricane plans," AccuWeather hurricane expert Dan Kottlowski said. "If Erika does indeed target Florida, there will be a big rush to complete preparations this weekend. However, it takes time to do some things such as moving boats from marinas to safety."

Ray Slover