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  • Ernesto strengthens back into a hurricane

    Ernesto strengthens back into a hurricane

    Tropical Storm Ernesto became a hurricane again Sunday as it churned away from Bermuda and headed further out in the northeastern Atlantic, sending powerful swells toward the U.S. East Coast, generating rip currents associated with at least one death and prompting many rescues.The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Ernesto’s maximum sustained winds were clocked at 75 mph (120 kph), just barely Category 1 strength.More strengthening was forecast over the next 12 hours, with Ernesto then expected to weaken and become a post-tropical cyclone on Tuesday, the hurricane center said. The storm was centered about 520 miles (840 kilometers) south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was expected to pass near southeastern Newfoundland late Monday and early Tuesday.Swells generated by Ernesto were affecting portions of the Bahamas, Bermuda, the U.S. East Coast as well as the Canadian Atlantic coast. Life-threatening surf and rip current conditions are likely in these areas during the next couple of days, the hurricane center said.The National Weather Service earlier posted a coastal flood advisory and warned of a high risk for rip currents along the Atlantic Coast through Monday evening, saying they “can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water.”A warning extended from Florida to the Boston area and portions of Maine.In periods of high risk, rip currents become more likely and potentially more frequent, posing a danger to all levels of swimmers, not just inexperienced ones, said meteorologist Mike Lee in Mount Holly, New Jersey.“It’s going to be really dangerous out in the water today,” he said.At Manasquan Inlet in New Jersey, officials said a fisherman was washed off the north jetty Saturday but was quickly rescued by lifeguards. The victim had knee and back injuries and a possible concussion and was taken to a hospital, Lifeguard Chief Doug Anderson told NJ Advance Media, and lifeguards rescued at least five other people.In Ventnor to the south, Senior Lt. Meghan Holland of the city beach patrol said eight people were rescued.Forecasters, citing local emergency management, said a 41-year-old man drowned Saturday in a rip current at Surf City, North Carolina.Two men drowned Friday in separate incidents on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, but it was unclear whether rip currents were involved, The Island Packet of Hilton Head reported, citing a lifeguard services spokesperson.The rough surf contributed to an unoccupied beach house along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore on North Carolina’s Outer Banks collapsing into the water Friday evening. Seashore officials urged the public Sunday to avoid beaches in parts of the village of Rodanthe where “substantial damage” to several oceanfront structures has occurred. Debris cleanup was expected over the next several days.Flash flood warnings were posted for parts of Connecticut and southeastern New York, and flash flood watches and advisories were in effect for areas of Delaware, New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania, with forecasters warning of floods in low-lying areas.On New York’s Long Island, East Hampton Village Mayor Jerry Larsen said beaches were closed to swimmers on Saturday and Sunday because high tides pushed water right up to the base of the dunes “so you can’t really have people sitting on the beach.”Many people watched the water from the parking lot Sunday, he added.“It’s quite a sight to see the water coming up almost to the parking lot, and if you think about it that storm was hundreds of miles offshore so it must have been quite powerful,” Larsen said.The annual fireworks show that draws thousands was canceled Saturday night and again for Sunday night, he said.Ernesto had weakened to a tropical storm late Saturday after bringing heavy rain and strong winds to Bermuda.At a news conference Sunday afternoon, Bermuda Security Minister Michael Weeks said the tiny British territory made it through the hurricane without any injuries or major incidents. “I want to express my gratitude to everyone for taking this storm seriously,” he said.Steady progress is being made to clear the roads and restore power in Bermuda, he added. Businesses were beginning to reopen and airport operations were to resume Sunday.There were no reports of major damage, said Lyndon Raynor of Bermuda’s Disaster Risk Reduction Mitigation Team. BELCO, Bermuda’s power company, said 50% of customers had electricity but more than 8,000 remained without it Sunday.Ernesto previously battered the northeastern Caribbean, leaving tens of thousands of people without water in Puerto Rico. The national power company LUMA said it had restored electricity to more than 1.4 million customers, but service data Sunday showed more than 54,000 without power.After cleaning up and removing debris, the Virgin Islands Department of Education said all public schools would resume operations Monday. Public school classes also were slated to start Monday in Puerto Rico, nearly a week after the original opening date.Ernesto is the fifth named storm and the third hurricane of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year because of record warm ocean temperatures. It forecast 17 to 25 named storms, with four to seven major hurricanes.

    Tropical Storm Ernesto became a hurricane again Sunday as it churned away from Bermuda and headed further out in the northeastern Atlantic, sending powerful swells toward the U.S. East Coast, generating rip currents associated with at least one death and prompting many rescues.

    The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Ernesto’s maximum sustained winds were clocked at 75 mph (120 kph), just barely Category 1 strength.

    More strengthening was forecast over the next 12 hours, with Ernesto then expected to weaken and become a post-tropical cyclone on Tuesday, the hurricane center said. The storm was centered about 520 miles (840 kilometers) south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was expected to pass near southeastern Newfoundland late Monday and early Tuesday.

    Swells generated by Ernesto were affecting portions of the Bahamas, Bermuda, the U.S. East Coast as well as the Canadian Atlantic coast. Life-threatening surf and rip current conditions are likely in these areas during the next couple of days, the hurricane center said.

    The National Weather Service earlier posted a coastal flood advisory and warned of a high risk for rip currents along the Atlantic Coast through Monday evening, saying they “can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water.”

    A warning extended from Florida to the Boston area and portions of Maine.

    In periods of high risk, rip currents become more likely and potentially more frequent, posing a danger to all levels of swimmers, not just inexperienced ones, said meteorologist Mike Lee in Mount Holly, New Jersey.

    “It’s going to be really dangerous out in the water today,” he said.

    At Manasquan Inlet in New Jersey, officials said a fisherman was washed off the north jetty Saturday but was quickly rescued by lifeguards. The victim had knee and back injuries and a possible concussion and was taken to a hospital, Lifeguard Chief Doug Anderson told NJ Advance Media, and lifeguards rescued at least five other people.

    In Ventnor to the south, Senior Lt. Meghan Holland of the city beach patrol said eight people were rescued.

    Forecasters, citing local emergency management, said a 41-year-old man drowned Saturday in a rip current at Surf City, North Carolina.

    Two men drowned Friday in separate incidents on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, but it was unclear whether rip currents were involved, The Island Packet of Hilton Head reported, citing a lifeguard services spokesperson.

    The rough surf contributed to an unoccupied beach house along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore on North Carolina’s Outer Banks collapsing into the water Friday evening. Seashore officials urged the public Sunday to avoid beaches in parts of the village of Rodanthe where “substantial damage” to several oceanfront structures has occurred. Debris cleanup was expected over the next several days.

    Flash flood warnings were posted for parts of Connecticut and southeastern New York, and flash flood watches and advisories were in effect for areas of Delaware, New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania, with forecasters warning of floods in low-lying areas.

    On New York’s Long Island, East Hampton Village Mayor Jerry Larsen said beaches were closed to swimmers on Saturday and Sunday because high tides pushed water right up to the base of the dunes “so you can’t really have people sitting on the beach.”

    Many people watched the water from the parking lot Sunday, he added.

    “It’s quite a sight to see the water coming up almost to the parking lot, and if you think about it that storm was hundreds of miles offshore so it must have been quite powerful,” Larsen said.

    The annual fireworks show that draws thousands was canceled Saturday night and again for Sunday night, he said.

    Ernesto had weakened to a tropical storm late Saturday after bringing heavy rain and strong winds to Bermuda.

    At a news conference Sunday afternoon, Bermuda Security Minister Michael Weeks said the tiny British territory made it through the hurricane without any injuries or major incidents. “I want to express my gratitude to everyone for taking this storm seriously,” he said.

    Steady progress is being made to clear the roads and restore power in Bermuda, he added. Businesses were beginning to reopen and airport operations were to resume Sunday.

    There were no reports of major damage, said Lyndon Raynor of Bermuda’s Disaster Risk Reduction Mitigation Team. BELCO, Bermuda’s power company, said 50% of customers had electricity but more than 8,000 remained without it Sunday.

    Ernesto previously battered the northeastern Caribbean, leaving tens of thousands of people without water in Puerto Rico. The national power company LUMA said it had restored electricity to more than 1.4 million customers, but service data Sunday showed more than 54,000 without power.

    After cleaning up and removing debris, the Virgin Islands Department of Education said all public schools would resume operations Monday. Public school classes also were slated to start Monday in Puerto Rico, nearly a week after the original opening date.

    Ernesto is the fifth named storm and the third hurricane of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season.

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year because of record warm ocean temperatures. It forecast 17 to 25 named storms, with four to seven major hurricanes.

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  • Ernesto strengthens back into a hurricane

    Ernesto strengthens back into a hurricane

    Tropical Storm Ernesto became a hurricane again Sunday as it churned away from Bermuda and headed further out in the northeastern Atlantic, sending powerful swells toward the U.S. East Coast, generating rip currents associated with at least one death and prompting many rescues.The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Ernesto’s maximum sustained winds were clocked at 75 mph (120 kph), just barely Category 1 strength.More strengthening was forecast over the next 12 hours, with Ernesto then expected to weaken and become a post-tropical cyclone on Tuesday, the hurricane center said. The storm was centered about 520 miles (840 kilometers) south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was expected to pass near southeastern Newfoundland late Monday and early Tuesday.Swells generated by Ernesto were affecting portions of the Bahamas, Bermuda, the U.S. East Coast as well as the Canadian Atlantic coast. Life-threatening surf and rip current conditions are likely in these areas during the next couple of days, the hurricane center said.The National Weather Service earlier posted a coastal flood advisory and warned of a high risk for rip currents along the Atlantic Coast through Monday evening, saying they “can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water.”A warning extended from Florida to the Boston area and portions of Maine.In periods of high risk, rip currents become more likely and potentially more frequent, posing a danger to all levels of swimmers, not just inexperienced ones, said meteorologist Mike Lee in Mount Holly, New Jersey.“It’s going to be really dangerous out in the water today,” he said.At Manasquan Inlet in New Jersey, officials said a fisherman was washed off the north jetty Saturday but was quickly rescued by lifeguards. The victim had knee and back injuries and a possible concussion and was taken to a hospital, Lifeguard Chief Doug Anderson told NJ Advance Media, and lifeguards rescued at least five other people.In Ventnor to the south, Senior Lt. Meghan Holland of the city beach patrol said eight people were rescued.Forecasters, citing local emergency management, said a 41-year-old man drowned Saturday in a rip current at Surf City, North Carolina.Two men drowned Friday in separate incidents on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, but it was unclear whether rip currents were involved, The Island Packet of Hilton Head reported, citing a lifeguard services spokesperson.The rough surf contributed to an unoccupied beach house along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore on North Carolina’s Outer Banks collapsing into the water Friday evening. Seashore officials urged the public Sunday to avoid beaches in parts of the village of Rodanthe where “substantial damage” to several oceanfront structures has occurred. Debris cleanup was expected over the next several days.Flash flood warnings were posted for parts of Connecticut and southeastern New York, and flash flood watches and advisories were in effect for areas of Delaware, New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania, with forecasters warning of floods in low-lying areas.On New York’s Long Island, East Hampton Village Mayor Jerry Larsen said beaches were closed to swimmers on Saturday and Sunday because high tides pushed water right up to the base of the dunes “so you can’t really have people sitting on the beach.”Many people watched the water from the parking lot Sunday, he added.“It’s quite a sight to see the water coming up almost to the parking lot, and if you think about it that storm was hundreds of miles offshore so it must have been quite powerful,” Larsen said.The annual fireworks show that draws thousands was canceled Saturday night and again for Sunday night, he said.Ernesto had weakened to a tropical storm late Saturday after bringing heavy rain and strong winds to Bermuda.At a news conference Sunday afternoon, Bermuda Security Minister Michael Weeks said the tiny British territory made it through the hurricane without any injuries or major incidents. “I want to express my gratitude to everyone for taking this storm seriously,” he said.Steady progress is being made to clear the roads and restore power in Bermuda, he added. Businesses were beginning to reopen and airport operations were to resume Sunday.There were no reports of major damage, said Lyndon Raynor of Bermuda’s Disaster Risk Reduction Mitigation Team. BELCO, Bermuda’s power company, said 50% of customers had electricity but more than 8,000 remained without it Sunday.Ernesto previously battered the northeastern Caribbean, leaving tens of thousands of people without water in Puerto Rico. The national power company LUMA said it had restored electricity to more than 1.4 million customers, but service data Sunday showed more than 54,000 without power.After cleaning up and removing debris, the Virgin Islands Department of Education said all public schools would resume operations Monday. Public school classes also were slated to start Monday in Puerto Rico, nearly a week after the original opening date.Ernesto is the fifth named storm and the third hurricane of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year because of record warm ocean temperatures. It forecast 17 to 25 named storms, with four to seven major hurricanes.

    Tropical Storm Ernesto became a hurricane again Sunday as it churned away from Bermuda and headed further out in the northeastern Atlantic, sending powerful swells toward the U.S. East Coast, generating rip currents associated with at least one death and prompting many rescues.

    The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Ernesto’s maximum sustained winds were clocked at 75 mph (120 kph), just barely Category 1 strength.

    More strengthening was forecast over the next 12 hours, with Ernesto then expected to weaken and become a post-tropical cyclone on Tuesday, the hurricane center said. The storm was centered about 520 miles (840 kilometers) south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was expected to pass near southeastern Newfoundland late Monday and early Tuesday.

    Swells generated by Ernesto were affecting portions of the Bahamas, Bermuda, the U.S. East Coast as well as the Canadian Atlantic coast. Life-threatening surf and rip current conditions are likely in these areas during the next couple of days, the hurricane center said.

    The National Weather Service earlier posted a coastal flood advisory and warned of a high risk for rip currents along the Atlantic Coast through Monday evening, saying they “can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water.”

    A warning extended from Florida to the Boston area and portions of Maine.

    In periods of high risk, rip currents become more likely and potentially more frequent, posing a danger to all levels of swimmers, not just inexperienced ones, said meteorologist Mike Lee in Mount Holly, New Jersey.

    “It’s going to be really dangerous out in the water today,” he said.

    At Manasquan Inlet in New Jersey, officials said a fisherman was washed off the north jetty Saturday but was quickly rescued by lifeguards. The victim had knee and back injuries and a possible concussion and was taken to a hospital, Lifeguard Chief Doug Anderson told NJ Advance Media, and lifeguards rescued at least five other people.

    In Ventnor to the south, Senior Lt. Meghan Holland of the city beach patrol said eight people were rescued.

    Forecasters, citing local emergency management, said a 41-year-old man drowned Saturday in a rip current at Surf City, North Carolina.

    Two men drowned Friday in separate incidents on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, but it was unclear whether rip currents were involved, The Island Packet of Hilton Head reported, citing a lifeguard services spokesperson.

    The rough surf contributed to an unoccupied beach house along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore on North Carolina’s Outer Banks collapsing into the water Friday evening. Seashore officials urged the public Sunday to avoid beaches in parts of the village of Rodanthe where “substantial damage” to several oceanfront structures has occurred. Debris cleanup was expected over the next several days.

    Flash flood warnings were posted for parts of Connecticut and southeastern New York, and flash flood watches and advisories were in effect for areas of Delaware, New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania, with forecasters warning of floods in low-lying areas.

    On New York’s Long Island, East Hampton Village Mayor Jerry Larsen said beaches were closed to swimmers on Saturday and Sunday because high tides pushed water right up to the base of the dunes “so you can’t really have people sitting on the beach.”

    Many people watched the water from the parking lot Sunday, he added.

    “It’s quite a sight to see the water coming up almost to the parking lot, and if you think about it that storm was hundreds of miles offshore so it must have been quite powerful,” Larsen said.

    The annual fireworks show that draws thousands was canceled Saturday night and again for Sunday night, he said.

    Ernesto had weakened to a tropical storm late Saturday after bringing heavy rain and strong winds to Bermuda.

    At a news conference Sunday afternoon, Bermuda Security Minister Michael Weeks said the tiny British territory made it through the hurricane without any injuries or major incidents. “I want to express my gratitude to everyone for taking this storm seriously,” he said.

    Steady progress is being made to clear the roads and restore power in Bermuda, he added. Businesses were beginning to reopen and airport operations were to resume Sunday.

    There were no reports of major damage, said Lyndon Raynor of Bermuda’s Disaster Risk Reduction Mitigation Team. BELCO, Bermuda’s power company, said 50% of customers had electricity but more than 8,000 remained without it Sunday.

    Ernesto previously battered the northeastern Caribbean, leaving tens of thousands of people without water in Puerto Rico. The national power company LUMA said it had restored electricity to more than 1.4 million customers, but service data Sunday showed more than 54,000 without power.

    After cleaning up and removing debris, the Virgin Islands Department of Education said all public schools would resume operations Monday. Public school classes also were slated to start Monday in Puerto Rico, nearly a week after the original opening date.

    Ernesto is the fifth named storm and the third hurricane of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season.

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year because of record warm ocean temperatures. It forecast 17 to 25 named storms, with four to seven major hurricanes.

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  • Hurricane Ernesto makes landfall on Bermuda as a Category 1 storm

    Hurricane Ernesto makes landfall on Bermuda as a Category 1 storm

    Hurricane Ernesto made landfall on the tiny British Atlantic territory of Bermuda early Saturday as residents hunkered down.See the hurricane’s path in the video aboveThe wide Category 1 storm was directly over the the wealthy territory at 6 a.m. Saturday, with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph. The U.S. National Hurricane Center warned of strong winds, a dangerous storm surge and significant coastal flooding.It said some 6 to 9 inches of rain was expected to fall on Bermuda. “This rainfall will likely result in considerable life-threatening flash flooding, especially in low-lying areas on the island,” it said.Due to the large size of the storm and its slow movement, hurricane-strength winds are expected to continue until Saturday afternoon, with tropical storm-strength winds continuing well into Sunday, the Bermuda government said. Ernesto is moving toward the north-northeast at around 9 mph.The NHC reported life-threatening surf and rip currents on the east coast of the United States and said they would reach Canada during the course of the day. Ernesto is forecast to be near or east of Newfoundland by Monday night.Bermuda power utility BELCO said that as of late Friday, power was out to 31% of its customers. It described itself as being in “an active state of crisis.”“Our crews are no longer out in the field working as it is no longer safe for them. They will now rest until it is deemed safe for them to begin restoration efforts,” BELCO added.Ernesto began to pound Bermuda late Friday with heavy winds and rain after officials in the territory in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean opened shelters and closed government offices.As a Category 2 storm, at the time located 95 miles south-southwest of Bermuda, Ernesto was packing maximum sustained winds of 100 mph. It was moving north-northeast at 13 mph. Ernesto’s large eye will likely be very near or over Bermuda on Saturday morning. Tropical storm conditions — including strong winds and life-threatening floods — began on Friday and are expected to continue through Saturday night, according to the National Hurricane Center.“Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion,” the center said.The storm was forecast to dump between 6 and 9 inches of rain. Forecasters noted that Ernesto was a large hurricane, with hurricane-force winds extending up to 75 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extending up to 275 miles.In preparation for the storm, officials in the wealthy British territory announced they would suspend public transportation and close the airport by Friday night.National Security Minister Michael Weeks warned of dangerous weather conditions starting late Friday.“Hurricane Ernesto seriously threatens our community,” he said. “This is not a storm to be taken lightly.”On Friday afternoon, Bermuda’s Electric Light Company reported more than 3,000 customers were without power.Dangerous surf and rip currents are also possible on the Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas and Atlantic Canada during the next few days, according to the center.Bermuda is an archipelago of 181 tiny islands whose land mass makes up roughly the size of Manhattan.According to AccuWeather, it’s uncommon for the eye of a hurricane to make landfall. It noted that since 1850, only 11 of 130 tropical storms that have come within 100 miles of Bermuda have made landfall.The island is a renowned offshore financial center with sturdy construction, and given its elevation, storm surge is not as problematic as it is with low-lying islands.Ernesto previously battered the northeast Caribbean, where it left hundreds of thousands of people without power or water in Puerto Rico after swiping past the U.S. territory as a tropical storm. More than 200,000 out of 1.5 million clients were still without power more than two days after the storm. Another 170,000 were without water as the National Weather Service issued yet another severe heat advisory, warning of “dangerously hot and humid conditions.”“It’s not easy,” said Andrés Cabrera, 60, who lives in the north coastal city of Carolina and had no water or power.Like many on the island, he could not afford a generator or solar panels. Cabrera said he was relying for relief only “on the wind that comes in from the street.”Officials say they hope to restore power to 90% of nearly 1.5 million customers in Puerto Rico by Sunday, but have given no word yet on when they expect power to be fully restored.Of 152 locations of critical infrastructure without electricity that are being given priority, 36 now have power, said Juan Saca, president of Luma Energy, a private company that operates the transmission and distribution of power on the island.In the neighboring U.S. Virgin Islands, crews also were working to restore power, with 80% of customers back online.Ernesto is the fifth named storm and the third hurricane of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year because of record-warm ocean temperatures. It forecast 17 to 25 named storms, with four to seven major hurricanes.

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico —

    Hurricane Ernesto made landfall on the tiny British Atlantic territory of Bermuda early Saturday as residents hunkered down.

    See the hurricane’s path in the video above

    The wide Category 1 storm was directly over the the wealthy territory at 6 a.m. Saturday, with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph. The U.S. National Hurricane Center warned of strong winds, a dangerous storm surge and significant coastal flooding.

    It said some 6 to 9 inches of rain was expected to fall on Bermuda. “This rainfall will likely result in considerable life-threatening flash flooding, especially in low-lying areas on the island,” it said.

    Due to the large size of the storm and its slow movement, hurricane-strength winds are expected to continue until Saturday afternoon, with tropical storm-strength winds continuing well into Sunday, the Bermuda government said. Ernesto is moving toward the north-northeast at around 9 mph.

    The NHC reported life-threatening surf and rip currents on the east coast of the United States and said they would reach Canada during the course of the day. Ernesto is forecast to be near or east of Newfoundland by Monday night.

    Bermuda power utility BELCO said that as of late Friday, power was out to 31% of its customers. It described itself as being in “an active state of crisis.”

    “Our crews are no longer out in the field working as it is no longer safe for them. They will now rest until it is deemed safe for them to begin restoration efforts,” BELCO added.

    Ernesto began to pound Bermuda late Friday with heavy winds and rain after officials in the territory in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean opened shelters and closed government offices.

    As a Category 2 storm, at the time located 95 miles south-southwest of Bermuda, Ernesto was packing maximum sustained winds of 100 mph. It was moving north-northeast at 13 mph.

    Ernesto’s large eye will likely be very near or over Bermuda on Saturday morning. Tropical storm conditions — including strong winds and life-threatening floods — began on Friday and are expected to continue through Saturday night, according to the National Hurricane Center.

    “Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion,” the center said.

    The storm was forecast to dump between 6 and 9 inches of rain. Forecasters noted that Ernesto was a large hurricane, with hurricane-force winds extending up to 75 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extending up to 275 miles.

    In preparation for the storm, officials in the wealthy British territory announced they would suspend public transportation and close the airport by Friday night.

    hurricane

    intensity models show how strong the storm is forecast to become

    Storms in the Atlantic as shown by satellite.

    National Security Minister Michael Weeks warned of dangerous weather conditions starting late Friday.

    “Hurricane Ernesto seriously threatens our community,” he said. “This is not a storm to be taken lightly.”

    On Friday afternoon, Bermuda’s Electric Light Company reported more than 3,000 customers were without power.

    Dangerous surf and rip currents are also possible on the Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas and Atlantic Canada during the next few days, according to the center.

    Bermuda is an archipelago of 181 tiny islands whose land mass makes up roughly the size of Manhattan.

    According to AccuWeather, it’s uncommon for the eye of a hurricane to make landfall. It noted that since 1850, only 11 of 130 tropical storms that have come within 100 miles of Bermuda have made landfall.

    The island is a renowned offshore financial center with sturdy construction, and given its elevation, storm surge is not as problematic as it is with low-lying islands.

    Ernesto previously battered the northeast Caribbean, where it left hundreds of thousands of people without power or water in Puerto Rico after swiping past the U.S. territory as a tropical storm.

    More than 200,000 out of 1.5 million clients were still without power more than two days after the storm. Another 170,000 were without water as the National Weather Service issued yet another severe heat advisory, warning of “dangerously hot and humid conditions.”

    “It’s not easy,” said Andrés Cabrera, 60, who lives in the north coastal city of Carolina and had no water or power.

    Like many on the island, he could not afford a generator or solar panels. Cabrera said he was relying for relief only “on the wind that comes in from the street.”

    Officials say they hope to restore power to 90% of nearly 1.5 million customers in Puerto Rico by Sunday, but have given no word yet on when they expect power to be fully restored.

    Of 152 locations of critical infrastructure without electricity that are being given priority, 36 now have power, said Juan Saca, president of Luma Energy, a private company that operates the transmission and distribution of power on the island.

    In the neighboring U.S. Virgin Islands, crews also were working to restore power, with 80% of customers back online.

    Ernesto is the fifth named storm and the third hurricane of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season.

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year because of record-warm ocean temperatures. It forecast 17 to 25 named storms, with four to seven major hurricanes.

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  • Hurricane Ernesto drops torrential rain on Puerto Rico while pummeling northeast Caribbean

    Hurricane Ernesto drops torrential rain on Puerto Rico while pummeling northeast Caribbean

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Hurricane Ernesto dropped torrential rain on Puerto Rico and knocked out power for nearly half of all customers in the U.S. territory Wednesday as it threatened to become a major storm en route to Bermuda.

    The hurricane was over open water about 720 miles (1,160 kilometers) south-southwest of Bermuda with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 kph) and moving northwest at 16 mph (26 kph).

    A hurricane watch was issued for Bermuda, while tropical storm warnings were discontinued for Puerto Rico and its outlying islands of Vieques and Culebra and for the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.

    “I know it was a long night listening to that wind howl,” U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said in a news conference.

    An islandwide blackout was reported in St. Croix, and at least six cell phone towers were offline across the U.S. territory, said Daryl Jaschen, emergency management director. He added that the airports in St. Croix and St. Thomas were expected to reopen at midday.

    Schools and government agencies remained closed in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, where heavy flooding was reported in several areas, forcing officials to block roads, some of which were strewn with trees. More than 140 flights were canceled to and from Puerto Rico.

    “A lot of rain, a lot of rain,” Culebra Mayor Edilberto Romero said in a phone interview. “We have trees that have fallen on public roads. There are some roofs that are blown off.”

    Flash flood warnings remained Wednesday afternoon because of ongoing rains.

    In the north coastal town of Toa Baja, which is prone to flooding, dozens of residents moved their cars to higher areas.

    “Everyone is worried,” said Víctor Báez as he sipped beer with friends and watched the rain fall. He only briefly celebrated that he had power. “It’s going to go out again.”

    Ernesto is forecast to strengthen into a major hurricane and its center is expected to pass near Bermuda on Saturday.

    “Residents need to prepare now before conditions worsen,” Bermuda’s National Security Minister Michael Weeks said. “Now is not the time for complacency.”

    Forecasters also warned of heavy swells along the U.S. East Coast.

    “That means that anybody who goes to the beach, even if the weather is beautiful and nice, it could be dangerous … with those rip currents,” said Robbie Berg, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Hurricane Center.

    Between 4 to 6 inches of rain is expected in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and between 6 to 8 inches in Puerto Rico, with up to 10 inches in isolated areas.

    More than 640,000 customers were without power in Puerto Rico, along with 23 hospitals operating on generators, Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said Wednesday. He added that crews are assessing damage and that it was too early to tell when electricity would be restored.

    “We are trying to get the system up and running as soon as we can,” said Juan Saca, president of Luma Energy, the company that operates transmission and distribution of power in Puerto Rico.

    Luma Energy said earlier Wednesday that its priority was to restore power to hospitals, the island’s water and sewer company and other essential services. More than 300,000 customers were without water as a result of power outages, Pierluisi said.

    Puerto Rico’s power grid was razed by Hurricane Maria in 2017 as a Category 4 storm, and it remains frail as crews continue to rebuild the system.

    “It’s just frustrating that this many years later, we continue to see something like a storm cause such widespread outages in Puerto Rico, particularly given the risk that these outages can cause for vulnerable households in Puerto Rico,” said Charlotte Gossett Navarro, the Hispanic Federation’s chief director for Puerto Rico.

    Not everyone can afford generators on the island of 3.2 million people with a more than 40% poverty rate.

    “People already prepared themselves with candles,” said Lucía Rodríguez, a 31-year-old street vendor.

    Rooftop solar systems are scarce but keep growing in Puerto Rico, where fossil fuels generate 94% of the island’s electricity. At the time María hit, there were 8,000 rooftop installations, compared with more than 117,000 currently, according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.

    Ernesto is the fifth named storm and the third hurricane of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season. Since 1966, only four other years have had three or more hurricanes in the Atlantic by mid-August, according to Philip Klotzbach, Colorado State University hurricane researcher.

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year because of record warm ocean temperatures. It forecast 17 to 25 named storms, with four to seven major hurricanes.

    ___

    Associated Press journalist Julie Walker in New York contributed.

    Copyright © 2024 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

    AP

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  • Ernesto drenches northeast Caribbean, strengthens as it takes aim at Puerto Rico

    Ernesto drenches northeast Caribbean, strengthens as it takes aim at Puerto Rico

    Tropical Storm Ernesto battered the northeast Caribbean on Tuesday as it took aim at Puerto Rico, where officials closed schools, opened shelters and moved dozens of the U.S. territory’s endangered parrots into hurricane-proof rooms.Ernesto is expected to become a hurricane overnight Tuesday as the center of the storm moves just northeast of Puerto Rico on a path toward Bermuda. Forecasters issued a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning for the U.S. and British Virgin Islands as well as the tiny Puerto Rican islands of Vieques and Culebra, which are popular with tourists.“Since there is some chance of Ernesto becoming a hurricane while it is near the Virgin Islands, a hurricane watch remains in effect,” the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said.The storm moved over the U.S. Virgin Islands on Tuesday night and is forecast to pass just northeast and north of Puerto Rico late Tuesday and early Wednesday. It is then expected to move into open waters and be near Bermuda on Friday.Heavy rains began pelting Puerto Rico, and strong winds churned the ocean into a milky turquoise as people rushed to finish securing homes and businesses.“I’m hoping it will go away quickly,” said José Rodríguez, 36, as he climbed on the roof of his uncle’s wooden shack in the Afro-Caribbean community of Piñones on Puerto Rico’s north coast to secure the business famous for its fried street food.Ernesto was about 20 miles east of St. Croix on Tuesday afternoon. It had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and was moving west-northwest at 18 mph.“We are going to have a lot of rain,” Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said as he urged people to be indoors by early Tuesday evening.He activated the National Guard as crews across the island visited flood-prone areas and older residents as part of last-minute preparations. Meanwhile, Department of Natural Resources officials who work at breeding centers for the island’s only remaining native parrot, the Puerto Rico Amazon, moved them indoors.Ernesto Rodríguez with the National Weather Service warned that the storm’s trajectory could change as it approaches Puerto Rico.“We should not lower our guard,” he said.As intermittent rain pelted Puerto Rico’s northeast, residents in Piñones tried to squeeze in a couple more hours of work. María Abreu, 25, prepared fried pastries stuffed with shrimp, crab, chicken and even iguana meat as she waited for customers.“They always come. They buy them in case the power goes out,” she said.Down the road, Juan Pizarro, 65, picked nearly 100 coconuts from palm trees swaying in the strong breeze. He had already secured his house.“I’m ready for anything,” he said.Forecasters have warned of waves of up to 20 feet, widespread flooding and possible landslides, with six to eight inches of rain forecast for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and up to 10 inches in isolated areas. Puerto Rico has six reservoirs that already were overflowing before the storm.Officials in Puerto Rico warned of widespread power outages given the crumbling electric grid, which crews are still repairing after Hurricane Maria razed it in September 2017 as a Category 4 storm.Juan Saca, president of Luma Energy, a private company that operates the transmission and distribution of power in Puerto Rico, urged people to report blackouts: “Puerto Rico’s electrical system is not sufficiently modernized to detect power outages.”Outages also were a concern in the neighboring U.S. Virgin Islands for similar reasons, with blackouts reported on St. Thomas and St. John on Monday.“Don’t sleep on this,” said U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Albert Bryan Jr., whose administration announced early Tuesday that it was closing all schools.The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency echoed those warnings, saying residents in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands “should be prepared for extended power outages.”Early Tuesday, Ernesto drenched the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, where officials closed several main roads, urged people to stay indoors and warned that the quality of potable water would be affected for several days. Meanwhile, the storm downed a couple of trees in Antigua, and knocked out power to most of the island.Ernesto is the fifth named storm of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year because of record warm ocean temperatures. It forecast 17 to 25 named storms, with four to seven major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher.

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico —

    Tropical Storm Ernesto battered the northeast Caribbean on Tuesday as it took aim at Puerto Rico, where officials closed schools, opened shelters and moved dozens of the U.S. territory’s endangered parrots into hurricane-proof rooms.

    Ernesto is expected to become a hurricane overnight Tuesday as the center of the storm moves just northeast of Puerto Rico on a path toward Bermuda. Forecasters issued a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning for the U.S. and British Virgin Islands as well as the tiny Puerto Rican islands of Vieques and Culebra, which are popular with tourists.

    “Since there is some chance of Ernesto becoming a hurricane while it is near the Virgin Islands, a hurricane watch remains in effect,” the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

    The storm moved over the U.S. Virgin Islands on Tuesday night and is forecast to pass just northeast and north of Puerto Rico late Tuesday and early Wednesday. It is then expected to move into open waters and be near Bermuda on Friday.

    hurricane

    Storms in the Atlantic as shown by satellite.

    Heavy rains began pelting Puerto Rico, and strong winds churned the ocean into a milky turquoise as people rushed to finish securing homes and businesses.

    “I’m hoping it will go away quickly,” said José Rodríguez, 36, as he climbed on the roof of his uncle’s wooden shack in the Afro-Caribbean community of Piñones on Puerto Rico’s north coast to secure the business famous for its fried street food.

    Ernesto was about 20 miles east of St. Croix on Tuesday afternoon. It had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and was moving west-northwest at 18 mph.

    “We are going to have a lot of rain,” Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said as he urged people to be indoors by early Tuesday evening.

    He activated the National Guard as crews across the island visited flood-prone areas and older residents as part of last-minute preparations. Meanwhile, Department of Natural Resources officials who work at breeding centers for the island’s only remaining native parrot, the Puerto Rico Amazon, moved them indoors.

    Ernesto Rodríguez with the National Weather Service warned that the storm’s trajectory could change as it approaches Puerto Rico.

    “We should not lower our guard,” he said.

    As intermittent rain pelted Puerto Rico’s northeast, residents in Piñones tried to squeeze in a couple more hours of work.

    María Abreu, 25, prepared fried pastries stuffed with shrimp, crab, chicken and even iguana meat as she waited for customers.

    “They always come. They buy them in case the power goes out,” she said.

    Down the road, Juan Pizarro, 65, picked nearly 100 coconuts from palm trees swaying in the strong breeze. He had already secured his house.

    “I’m ready for anything,” he said.

    Forecasters have warned of waves of up to 20 feet, widespread flooding and possible landslides, with six to eight inches of rain forecast for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and up to 10 inches in isolated areas. Puerto Rico has six reservoirs that already were overflowing before the storm.

    Officials in Puerto Rico warned of widespread power outages given the crumbling electric grid, which crews are still repairing after Hurricane Maria razed it in September 2017 as a Category 4 storm.

    Juan Saca, president of Luma Energy, a private company that operates the transmission and distribution of power in Puerto Rico, urged people to report blackouts: “Puerto Rico’s electrical system is not sufficiently modernized to detect power outages.”

    Outages also were a concern in the neighboring U.S. Virgin Islands for similar reasons, with blackouts reported on St. Thomas and St. John on Monday.

    “Don’t sleep on this,” said U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Albert Bryan Jr., whose administration announced early Tuesday that it was closing all schools.

    The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency echoed those warnings, saying residents in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands “should be prepared for extended power outages.”

    Early Tuesday, Ernesto drenched the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, where officials closed several main roads, urged people to stay indoors and warned that the quality of potable water would be affected for several days. Meanwhile, the storm downed a couple of trees in Antigua, and knocked out power to most of the island.

    Ernesto is the fifth named storm of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season.

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year because of record warm ocean temperatures. It forecast 17 to 25 named storms, with four to seven major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher.

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  • Tropical Storm Ernesto continues path toward Puerto Rico, expected to become hurricane after landfall

    Tropical Storm Ernesto continues path toward Puerto Rico, expected to become hurricane after landfall

    Tropical Storm Ernesto, previously tagged as Potential Tropical Cyclone Five, is continuing its westward path towards Puerto Rico and other surrounding islands.Ernesto was upgraded on Monday evening and is expected to get stronger as it passes land and moves north through the Atlantic.According to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center, Ernesto is located about 300 miles east southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and a minimum central pressure of 1005 mb.>> Track Tropical Storm Ernesto here A tropical storm warning is in effect for multiple places, including:GuadeloupeSt. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua, Barbuda and AnguillaSt. Martin and St. BarthelemySint MaartenBritish Virgin IslandsU.S. Virgin IslandsPuerto RicoViequesCulebraA tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere in the warning area in the next 36 hours.More: Difference between tropical storm, hurricane watch and warningImpacts may include heavy rainfall, flash flooding, mudslides and landslides.Ernesto is the fifth named storm of the 2024 hurricane season. Many models show the system intensifying to a hurricane by this weekend, possibly reaching Category 2 strength. We are currently just about a month out from the peak of hurricane season, which is Sep. 10. The end of hurricane season is Nov. 30.More: Where do hurricanes begin?Related: WESH 2 Hurricane Survival Guide 2024Ernesto impacts in Central FloridaWhile current models do not show any direct impacts from Tropical Storm Ernesto, the storm’s presence in the Atlantic has the potential to intensify Central Florida beach conditions such as wave height and surf. Wave heights over the weekend have the potential to be anywhere from four to eight feet. Beachgoers should also be aware that rip current risks could be elevated because of Ernesto. First Warning WeatherStay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.RadarSevere Weather AlertsDownload the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts.The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Kellianne Klass, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.

    ORLANDO, Fla. —

    Tropical Storm Ernesto, previously tagged as Potential Tropical Cyclone Five, is continuing its westward path towards Puerto Rico and other surrounding islands.

    Ernesto was upgraded on Monday evening and is expected to get stronger as it passes land and moves north through the Atlantic.

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    According to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center, Ernesto is located about 300 miles east southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

    The storm has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and a minimum central pressure of 1005 mb.

    >> Track Tropical Storm Ernesto here

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    A tropical storm warning is in effect for multiple places, including:

    • Guadeloupe
    • St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua, Barbuda and Anguilla
    • St. Martin and St. Barthelemy
    • Sint Maarten
    • British Virgin Islands
    • U.S. Virgin Islands
    • Puerto Rico
    • Vieques
    • Culebra

    A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere in the warning area in the next 36 hours.

    More: Difference between tropical storm, hurricane watch and warning

    Impacts may include heavy rainfall, flash flooding, mudslides and landslides.

    Ernesto is the fifth named storm of the 2024 hurricane season. Many models show the system intensifying to a hurricane by this weekend, possibly reaching Category 2 strength.

    We are currently just about a month out from the peak of hurricane season, which is Sep. 10. The end of hurricane season is Nov. 30.

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    More: Where do hurricanes begin?

    Related: WESH 2 Hurricane Survival Guide 2024

    Ernesto impacts in Central Florida

    While current models do not show any direct impacts from Tropical Storm Ernesto, the storm’s presence in the Atlantic has the potential to intensify Central Florida beach conditions such as wave height and surf.

    Wave heights over the weekend have the potential to be anywhere from four to eight feet. Beachgoers should also be aware that rip current risks could be elevated because of Ernesto.

    First Warning Weather

    Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.

    Download the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts.

    The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Kellianne Klass, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.

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  • Tropical Storm Ernesto forms in Atlantic, moves toward Puerto Rico

    Tropical Storm Ernesto forms in Atlantic, moves toward Puerto Rico

    The National Hurricane Center has upgraded Potential Tropical Cyclone Five to Tropical Storm Ernesto on Monday evening. >> Download the WESH 2 app to stay up-to-date on tropical weatherAccording to the latest advisory from the NHC, the storm is located 530 miles east southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico.The storm has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and a minimum central pressure of 1009 mb. Tropical Storm Ernesto is moving west at about 28 miles per hour. After intensification, the NHC says the storm is expected to approach the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.A tropical storm warning is in effect for multiple places, including:GuadeloupeSt. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua, Barbuda and Anguilla St. Martin and St. BarthelemySint Maarten British Virgin IslandsU.S. Virgin IslandsPuerto RicoViequesCulebraA tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere in the warning area in the next 36 hours. More: Difference between tropical storm, hurricane watch and warning Impacts may include heavy rainfall, flash flooding, mudslides and landslides. Ernesto is the fifth named storm of the 2024 hurricane season. Many models show the system intensifying to a hurricane by this weekend. We are currently just about a month out from the peak of hurricane season, which is Sep. 10. The end of hurricane season is Nov. 30.More: Where do hurricanes begin?Related: WESH 2 Hurricane Survival Guide 2024First Warning WeatherStay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.RadarSevere Weather AlertsDownload the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts.The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Kellianne Klass, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.

    The National Hurricane Center has upgraded Potential Tropical Cyclone Five to Tropical Storm Ernesto on Monday evening.

    >> Download the WESH 2 app to stay up-to-date on tropical weather

    According to the latest advisory from the NHC, the storm is located 530 miles east southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

    The storm has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and a minimum central pressure of 1009 mb. Tropical Storm Ernesto is moving west at about 28 miles per hour.

    After intensification, the NHC says the storm is expected to approach the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    A tropical storm warning is in effect for multiple places, including:

    • Guadeloupe
    • St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua, Barbuda and Anguilla
    • St. Martin and St. Barthelemy
    • Sint Maarten
    • British Virgin Islands
    • U.S. Virgin Islands
    • Puerto Rico
    • Vieques
    • Culebra

    A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere in the warning area in the next 36 hours.

    More: Difference between tropical storm, hurricane watch and warning

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    Impacts may include heavy rainfall, flash flooding, mudslides and landslides.

    Ernesto is the fifth named storm of the 2024 hurricane season. Many models show the system intensifying to a hurricane by this weekend.

    We are currently just about a month out from the peak of hurricane season, which is Sep. 10. The end of hurricane season is Nov. 30.

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    More: Where do hurricanes begin?

    Related: WESH 2 Hurricane Survival Guide 2024

    First Warning Weather

    Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.

    Download the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts.

    The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Kellianne Klass, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.

    Source link