Hurricane Ernesto to Impact East Coast and Bermuda This Weekend

Hurricane Ernesto is rapidly closing in on Bermuda as a Category 2 storm. Although Ernesto is showing signs of weakening this morning due to vertical wind shear, residents and officials are still preparing for severe weather. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that as of 8 a.m. Friday, Ernesto was 255 miles south-southwest of Bermuda, with sustained winds of 100 mph. NHC maintains a hurricane warning is in effect for Bermuda, and they anticipate life-threatening flash flooding, especially in low-lying areas.

The Category 2 hurricane, which recently battered Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, left hundreds of thousands without power. In Puerto Rico, about 200,000 customers were still without power on Friday morning, reported CNN. The Virgin Islands reported over 10,000 customers without power.

As Ernesto continues its path, it is expected to move close to Atlantic Canada. Swells from Ernesto will affect the U.S. East Coast and other regions, including the Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas, Bermuda, and Atlantic Canada. Beachgoers should be cautious of dangerous surf and rip currents.