Torrential rains fall on eastern Puerto Rico

Tropical Storm Ernesto gained strength early Wednesday as it continued its path near Puerto Rico, bringing torrential rains, damaging winds and dangerous storm surge to the U.S. territory and the Virgin Islands.

At 5 a.m. ET, Ernesto was located 85 miles north-northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico, with sustained winds of 70 mph, approaching the 74 mph threshold for a hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm has also grown and become better organized as it feeds off warm Caribbean waters.

The National Hurricane Center said both the U.S. and British Virgin Islands will likely receive 4 to 6 inches of rain, and totals for southeastern Puerto Rico are forecast to be 6 to 8 inches, with a maximum of 10. “Heavy rainfall will lead to locally significant flash flooding and mudslides today across the Virgin Islands and parts of Puerto Rico,” the hurricane center said.

In addition to closing schools and asking the public to stay home, authorities in Puerto Rico, home to more than 3 million U.S. citizens, activated the National Guard and opened shelters on Tuesday.

The island was also bracing for blackouts, which have been common since Hurricane Maria destroyed the power grid in 2017. Energy provider LUMA Puerto Rico said it has coordinated with emergency contractors to respond to the outages and encouraged customers to keep their contact information up to date so they can receive the latest announcements.

Warm Atlantic waters are expected to further boost Ernesto after it leaves Puerto Rico and heads north on a projected path toward Bermuda.

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Will Ernesto impact the US?

While Ernesto is not expected to impact the continental United States, officials have warned of potentially dangerous beach conditions (such as rip currents and rough surf) along the country’s Atlantic coast as the storm moves in.

The U.S. Coast Guard on Monday warned recreational boaters, fishermen, beachgoers and water sports enthusiasts in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to stay out of the water “due to deteriorating sea conditions and dangerous rip currents associated with Tropical Storm Ernesto.”

Forecasters said strong waves will begin to reach North Carolina beaches on Friday and advised beachgoers to be alert for risks and hazards.

“The storm may be hundreds of miles offshore and the weather could be great on beaches in Florida, the Carolinas and even New England, but everyone should be aware of the risks and dangers at the beach,” according to AccuWeather’s senior hurricane expert Alex DaSilva. “We expect the risk for rip currents along the U.S. Atlantic coast to begin late this week in the Southeast and increase through the weekend, expanding northward.”

Ernesto, fifth named storm in 2024

In a revised outlook issued earlier this month, the federal government predicted an “extremely active” Atlantic hurricane season that could be among the most active on record. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted 17 to 24 named storms, with eight to 13 reaching hurricane strength — above the average of 14 named storms and seven hurricanes.

In a statement, NOAA Director Rick Spinrad said the season started “early and violently” and that Hurricane Beryl was the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record in the Atlantic. He added that the agency’s update means the peak of hurricane season is near, which typically includes the most impactful storms and hurricanes.

Overall, NOAA says there’s a 90% chance of an above-average season, which is among the highest probabilities ever issued by the agency, lead seasonal hurricane forecaster Matthew Rosencrans told USA TODAY.

Hurricanes Beryl and Debby hit the United States

In July, Hurricane Beryl strengthened into a Category 5 storm, battering many Caribbean nations and then causing extended power outages in Texas. Beryl has been linked to more than 20 deaths in Texas and the Caribbean.

After leaving Texas, Beryl’s remnants prompted a record 113 tornado warnings on July 9, according to research from Iowa State University.

Earlier this month, Debby made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 1 hurricane before the storm’s remnants caused widespread flooding across the eastern United States, trapping many residents in their homes. At least eight people have died from the storm, which produced severe thunderstorms across New England and triggered multiple emergency declarations.

Contributors: Doyle Rice and Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY; CA Bridges, Palm Beach Post

Will Ernesto impact the US?

Ernesto, fifth named storm in 2024

Hurricanes Beryl and Debby hit the United States

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