Ernesto becomes hurricane again, keep alert for storm surge along U.S. East Coast

Miami – Ernesto became a Category 2 hurricane on its way to Bermuda, then was downgraded to a tropical storm and strengthened again to hurricane status as it moved across the North Atlantic, the National Hurricane Center reported Sunday. English).

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center warned that Ernesto continued to produce strong waves and dangerous rip currents that were still affecting the U.S. East Coast.

Ernesto caused severe flooding and power outages in Puerto Rico, then struck Bermuda, leaving 75% of British territories in the Atlantic without power.

The cyclone is now again rated as a Category 1 cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson scale (there are 5 total cyclones) and is located 840 km (520 mi) south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and 1,310 km southwest of Cape Race, Newfoundland. ), the National Health Commission noted in its latest bulletin.

It is moving rapidly toward the west-northwest at 28 kilometers (17 miles) per hour, with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers (75 miles) per hour.

Ernesto Weather Forecast

The center of Ernesto is forecast to pass near southeastern Newfoundland Monday and Tuesday morning, with further strengthening forecast over the next 12 hours before weakening before becoming a post-tropical cyclone on Tuesday.

Swells generated by Ernesto continue to affect portions of the Bahamas, Bermuda, the East Coast of the United States, and Canada, and are likely to continue over the next 48 hours.

It is the third hurricane in the Atlantic basin so far this hurricane season, which began on June 1 and produced five tropical storms: Alberto, Beryl, Chris, Debbie and Ernesto.

From them, Beryl, Debbie and Ernesto grew stronger and stronger until they became hurricanes. Beryl even reached the highest level on the Saffir-Simpson scale, a Category 5, causing destruction and death in the Caribbean and the United States.

The current Atlantic hurricane season, which ends on November 30, is expected to be one of the most active and intense in decades, with as many as 25 storms and 13 hurricanes forming.

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