Tropical Storm Ernesto is expected to strengthen into a hurricane in the Atlantic by Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm was located in the Caribbean, about 250 miles east-southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. It is moving west-northwest at 18 mph and is expected to pass near or over the Virgin Islands and then just northeast and north of Puerto Rico.
Ernesto is forecasted to continue moving across the western Atlantic later in the week and may bring 4 to 6 inches of rain to parts of the Leeward and Virgin Islands and up to 10 inches across southeastern Puerto Rico. Water levels could increase by up to 3 feet above ground level on the east coast of Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, with large and destructive waves accompanying the storm surge near the coast of the British Virgin Islands.
Puerto Rico has activated the National Guard and canceled the start of classes in public schools in preparation for the storm. A hurricane watch has been issued for the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico’s Vieques and Culebra, with tropical storm warnings in effect for Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Martin and Sint Maarten, Guadeloupe, and St. Barts. The storm is expected to become a hurricane just north of the Greater Antilles by Thursday.
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