Tropical storm Ernesto is intensifying in the Caribbean, just days after Tropical Storm Debby swept through the US East Coast, CBS News reports.
The National Hurricane Center forecasts Ernesto to become a hurricane sometime Wednesday morning as it passes north of Puerto Rico, with the potential to strengthen into a major hurricane in the coming days.
President Joe Biden has already declared an emergency for Puerto Rico, anticipating the storm’s impact. As of Wednesday morning, Ernesto has sustained winds of 70 mph and is moving northwest at 16 mph. It is currently located about 80 miles northwest of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands and 40 miles north of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
A hurricane watch is in effect for the US and British Virgin Islands, as well as Vieques and Culebra. Tropical storm warnings are also in place for these areas, along with Puerto Rico.
The storm is expected to bring heavy rainfall, with 4 to 6 inches predicted for the Virgin Islands and up to 10 inches for southeastern Puerto Rico. Storm surge could reach 3 feet in the British Virgin Islands and parts of Puerto Rico’s east coast, bringing “large and destructive waves.”
Ernesto marks the fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which has already seen record-breaking strength for the early season, largely attributed to above-average Gulf of Mexico temperatures. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted an above-average hurricane season, with a total of 17 to 25 named storms, 8 to 13 hurricanes, and 4 to 7 major hurricanes.
The fifth named storm typically doesn’t form until August 22.
