As of the National Hurricane Center’s 8 a.m. update, Ernesto, now a Category 1 hurricane, was located 605 miles south-southwest of Bermuda, with sustained winds of 85 mph. The storm, moving at 13 mph, is anticipated to start bringing heavy rain to Bermuda by Friday and could pass near or over the archipelago on Saturday.
A hurricane warning has been issued for Bermuda. The hurricane center urged residents to complete preparations to safeguard life and property. Forecasters predict that Ernesto could strengthen into a major hurricane with sustained winds of at least 111 mph as soon as Friday.
Meanwhile, residents and authorities in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands worked to recover from Wednesday's heavy rainfall. At the storm’s peak, up to 730,000 utility customers in Puerto Rico were left without power. By Thursday morning, LUMA Energy reported that more than 484,000 homes and businesses were still without electricity.
Flood warnings remained in effect across Puerto Rico as rivers continued to overflow, threatening neighborhoods and low-lying areas. The U.S. and British Virgin Islands saw around six inches of rain over the past 48 hours, with southeastern Puerto Rico experiencing even higher totals.
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**Developments:**
∎ The National Hurricane Center has warned that swells from Hurricane Ernesto are likely to create dangerous surf and rip current conditions affecting Bermuda and the Bahamas on Thursday. These swells are expected to reach the eastern coast of the continental U.S. by Thursday night and persist through the weekend.
∎ A heat advisory has been issued for northern Puerto Rico due to high humidity and temperatures, exacerbating the situation for the hundreds of thousands still without power. The San Juan weather service cautioned that dangerously hot and humid conditions are expected.
∎ As Ernesto progresses through the Atlantic, it is causing disruptions for cruise ships. This week, several Carnival and Norwegian cruises have had their itineraries changed due to the intensifying storm, with some ships skipping stops in Puerto Rico or avoiding the eastern Caribbean entirely.
Bermuda Prepares for Hurricane Ernesto's Fury
Bermuda's Minister of National Security, Michael Weeks, urged residents and tourists in a news conference on Wednesday to begin preparations for Hurricane Ernesto's impending arrival. Weeks warned that the storm is expected to bring severe weather, including heavy rain and strong winds, with a high likelihood of widespread power outages across the island.
"Although Bermuda has been fortunate in recent years to avoid severe hurricane impacts, we must take every storm seriously and prepare thoroughly," he said. "It only takes one storm to inflict significant damage and disrupt our lives."
He urged residents to secure their property, including outdoor furniture and boats, and to stock up on essentials such as food, medicine, and batteries. Weeks also noted that officials will meet on Thursday to assess and decide on the operations of the island's causeway, airport, and public transportation services.
"Don't fall into the trap of thinking you can wait until the last minute—the time to prepare is quickly running out," he warned. "Now is not the time to underestimate the power of nature."
Recovery efforts are underway across the U.S. Virgin Islands. As power restoration continues, officials announced on Wednesday night that government offices will reopen. However, public schools will remain closed for ongoing cleanup and safety inspections.
Crews made significant progress in restoring power after the storm led to a total blackout on St. Croix and widespread outages on St. John. Karl Knight, CEO of the U.S. Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority, reported that 75% of utility customers on St. Croix were expected to have their power restored by Wednesday night. Outages on St. John persisted but were anticipated to be resolved in the coming days.
"Today has been very successful," Knight said. "We started off slowly, but gained momentum as the day progressed."
Additionally, airports on St. Croix and St. Thomas reopened at noon on Wednesday, though delays continued. Officials were scheduled to complete port assessments on Thursday to allow ferry and barge operations to resume throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Hazardous Rip Currents and Life-Threatening Surf Anticipated Along East Coast
Despite Ernesto being forecast to stay well offshore from the mainland U.S., authorities have issued warnings about heightened risks of dangerous surf and rip currents along East Coast beaches as the storm moves toward Bermuda.
Swells from the storm are anticipated to reach the area later this week and into the weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.
"Beachgoers should be mindful of the significant risk of life-threatening surf and rip currents and follow advisories from lifeguards to stay out of the water," the hurricane center warned. "Surf and rip currents are also expected to affect the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, the Turks and Caicos, and the Bahamas in the coming days."
**Peak of Hurricane Season Approaches**
In an updated forecast released earlier this month, the federal government indicated that the Atlantic is likely to experience a "highly active" hurricane season.
"Current atmospheric and oceanic conditions suggest that this hurricane season could be among the busiest on record," the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stated.
NOAA's forecast predicts 17 to 24 named storms, with approximately 8 to 13 reaching hurricane strength, compared to the average of 14 named storms and seven hurricanes. This forecast includes four storms that have already formed this year, such as the deadly Hurricane Beryl and Tropical Storm Debby.
Residents and authorities across the eastern U.S. are still dealing with the aftermath of Tropical Storm Debby, which brought dangerous flooding to western New York and Pennsylvania. Last month, Hurricane Beryl made history as the earliest Category 5 Atlantic hurricane on record, causing widespread devastation in the Caribbean and at one point leaving over 1.3 million homes and businesses in Texas without power.
"The hurricane season began with unprecedented intensity due to Hurricane Beryl, the earliest Category 5 Atlantic hurricane on record," NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad said in a statement. "NOAA’s updated hurricane outlook serves as a crucial reminder that the peak of hurricane season is approaching, a time when hurricanes and tropical storms historically cause their most significant impacts."
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