Tropical Storm Ernesto could become a hurricane as early as Tuesday night, and approach major hurricane status later this week.
Topline
Forecasters warn an intensifying Caribbean tropical storm will strengthen into the next Atlantic hurricane of the season as early as Tuesday night, potentially becoming the second major hurricane of the year—and forecasters say hurricanes will keep on coming over the next several weeks.Key Facts
As of Tuesday afternoon, Tropical Storm Ernesto is east of Puerto Rico with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and is moving west-northwest at 18 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Forecasters expect the storm to strengthen into a hurricane (maximum sustained winds of at least 74 mph) overnight as it passes northeast of Puerto Rico.
Tropical storm conditions will continue over the northern Leeward Islands—including the U.S. and British Virgin Islands—through Tuesday evening, with hurricane conditions possible in the Virgin Islands on Tuesday night, while “life-threatening” surf and rip currents are expected to impact the Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos and Bahamas over the next several days.
