Tropical Storm Ernesto to soon become hurricane after lashing Puerto Rico with flooding rain, damaging winds
Ernesto is forecast to eventually become a major hurricane, meaning winds of at least 111 mph, as it moves away from Puerto Rico and toward Bermuda.
Ernesto blasts Puerto Rico with flooding rain, damaging winds as storm remains on verge of becoming hurricane
Puerto Rico is continuing to feel the wrath of Tropical Storm Ernesto as the storm continues to produce heavy rain and damaging winds across the island while the storm remains on the verge of becoming a hurricane.
Ernesto is now a hurricane, and this story is no longer being updated. Click here to read the latest updates on this storm.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Tropical Storm Warnings remain in effect for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands as Tropical Storm Ernesto continues to pound the islands with flooding rain and damaging wind gusts, and forecasters warn that the storm is expected to become a hurricane sometime Wednesday.
The tropics have become more active over the past few weeks with the development of Hurricane Debby, which made its first U.S. landfall in Florida, and then a second U.S. landfall in South Carolina as a tropical storm.
Hot on its heels was Invest 98L and then Potential Tropical Cyclone Five, which began to organize as it moved over the warm waters of the tropical Atlantic Ocean and eventually became what is now Tropical Storm Ernesto.
ERNESTO TRACKER: FORECAST CONE, PATH, LIVE CONDITIONS, SPAGHETTI MODELS AND MORE
Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands feel Ernesto's wrath
Puerto Rico side-swiped by Tropical Storm Ernesto
FOX Weather's Nicole Valdes reports form Puerto Rico after parts of the island have been hit with high winds and heavy rain from Tropical Storm Ernesto.
The U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands have been blasted by the effects of Tropical Storm Ernesto and the storm moved across the region overnight into Wednesday.
Numerous Flash Flood Warnings have been issued across Puerto Rico, including in San Juan, where FOX Weather Correspondent Nicole Valdes has been hunkering down and gathering information on how the storm is impacting the island.
Watch: Heavy rain falls in Puerto Rico from Tropical Storm Ernesto
A video shared from Puerto Rico shows heavy rain falling during Tropical Storm Ernesto on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024.
"Today, where we were looking at one of the major threats for the mainland here was, in fact, all this rain turning into that flood threat," Valdes said. "We’ve seen some of it really pull up in those mountainous regions where you get a lot more rain that falls, but you also have a lot of it that moves, really, into low-lying areas and low-lying rivers."
Flooding has been a major concern in Puerto Rico, and there have been reports of people being tapped in vehicles and homes as rushing floodwaters cut off escape routes.
Power outages have also skyrocketed across the region, with Luma Energy reporting more than 560,000 outages island-wide.
7 FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT FLASH FLOODS
US Virgin Islands tourism takes hit after Ernesto landfall
Tropical Storm Ernesto made landfall Tuesday night in the Virgin Islands. The islands are a tourist hotspot, and many local businesses took a hit. With many flights delayed or canceled, the island is facing a big financial impact. Commissioner for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, Joseph Boschulte, joins FOX Weather with the latest on the travel delays.
But it’s not only Puerto Rico that is feeling the storm’s effects.
The U.S. Virgin Islands were also blasted with strong winds and heavy rain, and a majority of the islands, St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix, are without power.
According to poweroutage.us, more than 46,000 power outages have been reported and continue to climb.
Schools were closed across the region on Tuesday, and government officials for the U.S. Virgin Islands said government offices would be closed on Wednesday.
Information on Tropical Storm Ernesto's landfall.
(FOX Weather)
Tropical Storm Ernesto made landfall in the British Virgin Islands on Tuesday night with 65 mph winds, making it a strong tropical storm.
Heavy rain, strong winds lash British Virgin Islands amid Tropical Storm Ernesto
Tropical Storm Ernesto was passing the British Virgin Islands on Tuesday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds. Footage here, captured by Saad Kaddoura, shows strong winds and heavy rain on Virgin Gorda.
Video from the area shows the torrential rain and damaging winds whipping across the region as the full effects of Tropical Storm Ernesto were being felt.
What's the forecast for Tropical Storm Ernesto?
(FOX Weather)
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Tropical Storm Ernesto is located about 85 miles north-northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was moving to the northwest at 16 mph.
Tropical Storm Ernesto has maximum sustained winds of 70 mph, and the NHC says Ernesto will likely become a hurricane later on Wednesday. Forecasters also say there’s a chance Ernesto could become a major hurricane (Category 3 or higher) in a few days.
The NHC says Ernesto is expected to make a turn to the north-northwest and then north with a gradual decrease in forward speed Wednesday night and Thursday. On that track, the center of Ernesto will pass to the north of Puerto Rico through the day on Wednesday.
Ernesto will then likely move over the western Atlantic Ocean later in the week and near Bermuda on Saturday.
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This graphic shows forecast rainfall totals from Tropical Storm Ernesto in the Caribbean.
(FOX Weather)
Millions of people across the region have been preparing for the potential impacts of the storm, including heavy precipitation that could trigger rockslides, mudslides and flooding. In addition, large and destructive surf, as well as dangerous rip currents and a potentially deadly storm surge are also possible.
"Ernesto is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 4 to 6 inches over the U.S and British Virgin Islands," the NHC said in its latest update. "Rainfall totals of 6 to 8 inches, with maximum amounts of 10 inches, are expected across southeastern Puerto Rico, with totals of 2 to 4 inches across northwestern Puerto Rico."
Where are watches and warnings in effect for Tropical Storm Ernesto?
The latest watches and warnings for Tropical Storm Ernesto.
(FOX Weather)
A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the British Virgin Islands, Vieques and Culebra.
Will Tropical Storm Ernesto impact the mainland US?
The forecast track for Tropical Storm Ernesto.
(FOX Weather)
According to the NHC, Tropical Storm Ernesto is expected to make a turn to the north over the western Atlantic Ocean as it moves away from Puerto Rico.
At this time, it doesn't appear Ernesto will directly impact the mainland U.S. However, large swells generated by Ernesto are expected to reach the East Coast and Bermuda late this week and into the weekend. The large waves will likely cause life-threatening surf and rip currents at beaches.
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