The fifth named storm of the annual hurricane season, Emily developed from a strong but poorly organized tropical wave that traversed the open Atlantic over the last week July.

Two days later, the disturbance’s wind flow became more cyclonic with a defined center of circulation, which marked the formation of Tropical Storm Emily.

The storm remained fairly irregular in structure, though generating strong thunderstorms and gusty winds along its path over the Caribbean Sea.

[2] Located to the south of a ridge of high pressure, the wave moved west-northwestward across the open Atlantic; it retained a broad circulation with little to no precipitation for a day or two.

[1][4][5] During the morning of July 31, the large low markedly gained in organization, and the National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted it was close to becoming a tropical depression.

[12] Emily's appearance later improved on satellite images, and it developed a ragged central dense overcast; the NHC estimated that the storm had reached its peak sustained winds of 50 mph (80 km/h) by 0000 UTC on August 3.

[1] Nevertheless, reconnaissance revealed that its circulation remained poorly organized, and at the time, several forecast models even supported dissipation prior to landfall in Hispaniola.

[1][18] The remnant trough proceeded northwestward into the Bahamas, where the NHC assessed a high chance of redevelopment based on relenting upper wind shear.

Late on August 6, the trough developed a new center of circulation and regenerated into a weak tropical depression by 1800 UTC near Grand Bahama.

Emily briefly reattained tropical storm strength six hours later, although it once again dissipated to a remnant low the next day owing to increasing wind shear.

[1][21] The combination of strong wind shear and its rapid forward speed inhibited significant development, and the remnant dissipated around 1200 UTC on August 11, about 980 mi (1,565 km) west of the Azores.

[25] The United States Coast Guard issued a statement urging residents of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to avoid recreational boating and swimming until Emily had passed.

[29] Intense rainbands produced gusty winds and heavy precipitation totaling to 5.90 in (150 mm) in Martinique,[30] causing street flooding and inundating homes.

A large landslide occurred in the capital of Fort-de-France due to excessive soil saturation, prompting some 40 families to evacuate the area.

[1] High winds damaged an electrical grid, cutting off power to about 18,500 customers; roughly 6,000 people were left without drinking water during the storm.

[38] Throughout the island, multiple other roads were made impassable by landslides and fallen objects;[41] infrastructural damage surmounted $5 million, according to preliminary estimates.

[46] Albeit disorganized, Emily and its remnants dropped extensive precipitation across the Dominican Republic, with maximum totals of up to 21 inches (528 mm) recorded in Neiba.

[61] A body was recovered from a ravine near Les Cayes, but the exact cause of death was disputed; another person in the area sustained injuries after being hit by a fallen tree.