As of 8 a.m. Thursday, Hurricane Ernesto has strengthened with winds sustained at 85 mph. The storm is tracking north at 13 mph, pulling away from Puerto Rico. A Hurricane Warning has been issued for Bermuda as the storm will make a close pass on Saturday.
Due to low wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures, Ernesto is projected to become a major hurricane by Friday. The storm will eventually weaken as it works into a region of cooler sea surface temperatures early next week.
While no direct impacts are expected for the U.S., there will still be swells generated from Ernesto that reach the U.S. East Coast late this week and into the weekend. There will be an increased threat of life-threatening surf and rip currents.
This is the only system in the Atlantic at this time. The next name on the list is Francine. We are less than one month out from the statistical peak of hurricane season. Be sure to check back into the forecast for frequent updates.
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