Tropical Storm Ernesto It was en route to the Virgin Islands on Tuesday afternoon, After a few days, it gains strength as it circulates in the Atlantic Ocean Debbie He ended his journey on the East Coast of America. Ernesto is expected to make landfall near or over the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Tuesday evening. Become a hurricane Passing northeast of Puerto Rico overnight, the National Hurricane Center says.
to 5 p.m. ET, forecasters said Ernesto had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and was moving at 18 mph. It is expected to move near the US and British Virgin Islands or northeast and north of Puerto Rico on Tuesday and Wednesday.
A hurricane watch is in effect for the US and British Virgin Islands and the islands of Vieques and Culebra. A tropical storm warning is in effect for St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat and Anguilla, as well as St. Martin and St. Barthelemy, Sint Maarten, the US and British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra.
Forecasters expect the storm to strengthen into a hurricane late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
“Rain will be a much bigger player than wind” for Ernesto, CBS News senior meteorologist David Parkinson said.
National Hurricane Center
The storm is expected to dump 4 to 6 inches of rain on the Leeward and Virgin Islands, 3 to 6 inches on Puerto Rico, and a maximum of 10 inches. Storm surge levels could rise up to 3 feet and bring “large and destructive waves.” The Leeward Islands could also see “significant flash flooding and mudslides,” the National Hurricane Center said.
“Some models suggest a foot is possible based on terrain, so a higher number cannot be ruled out,” Parkinson said. “…The US is outside the danger zone for direct impacts, but currents and large waves along the eastern seaboard remain a concern.”
Ernesto marks the fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season so far, which has already been proven History after Beryl reached record strength Above average temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico at the beginning of the season. NOAA predicts an above-normal season with 17-25 named storms, 8 to 13 hurricanes and four to seven major hurricanes.
A fifth named storm usually does not occur until now August 22According to NOAA.
