The British Virgin Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands are currently under a Hurricane Watch as Tropical Storm Ernesto approaches the region.
The storm is forecasted to pass near or directly over the Virgin Islands this evening before skimming the northeastern coast of Puerto Rico tonight and into Wednesday. Ernesto is expected to move into the western Atlantic later this week.
Tropical storm conditions are anticipated to begin affecting the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico later today and throughout the night, with the possibility of hurricane-force winds hitting the Virgin Islands, Vieques, and Culebra by evening.
A storm surge of 1 to 3 feet above ground level is expected along the eastern coast of Puerto Rico, from San Juan to Guayama, including the islands of Culebra and Vieques. The U.S. Virgin Islands, including St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix, are also forecasted to experience similar surges. In the British Virgin Islands, water levels could rise by 1 to 3 feet above normal tide levels, with the surge potentially accompanied by large and destructive waves near the coast.
Following its passage near Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, Ernesto is projected to begin turning northward on Wednesday, heading into the open waters of the western Atlantic. The National Hurricane Center predicts that the system will intensify into a powerful Category 2 hurricane as it approaches Bermuda by this weekend.
“It is too soon to know what impacts Ernesto could bring to Bermuda late this week, and interests there should monitor the progress of this system,” the hurricane center advised. As of Tuesday’s forecast, the system does not pose a threat to Florida.
A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for several islands across the northeastern Caribbean, including:
- St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua, Barbuda, and Anguilla
- Guadeloupe
- St. Martin and St. Barthelemy
- Sint Maarten
- Puerto Rico
Residents in these areas are urged to take precautions as tropical storm conditions are expected within the next 36 hours. The Hurricane Watch remains in effect, indicating that hurricane conditions are possible within the next 12 hours.
Authorities are closely monitoring the progress of Ernesto, and residents in the northeastern Caribbean are encouraged to stay informed and prepared as the storm nears.
