Tropical Storm Ernesto is currently impacting the northeast Caribbean and is on track to reach Puerto Rico. As of Tuesday morning, the storm was located approximately 300 miles east-southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. It is moving west at 18 mph, posing a threat of heavy rainfall to the region.
Puerto Rico's Governor, Pedro Pierluisi, has taken precautionary measures by closing schools and government agencies and activating the National Guard. The storm is expected to bring significant rainfall, with forecasts predicting six to eight inches of rain for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and up to 10 inches in isolated areas.
Authorities have issued tropical storm warnings for various islands in the region, including Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, and others. The National Hurricane Center anticipates Ernesto to pass over or near Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands on Tuesday evening.
Given Puerto Rico's fragile electric grid, power outages are a major concern. Luma Energy, the company responsible for power distribution, is preparing for potential disruptions. The U.S. Virgin Islands are also bracing for outages due to similar infrastructure vulnerabilities.
Ernesto marks the fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season and is projected to intensify into a hurricane by early Thursday. The storm is expected to strengthen over open waters and head towards Bermuda.
The Atlantic hurricane season is forecasted to be above average this year, with NOAA predicting 17 to 25 named storms and four to seven major hurricanes. The warm ocean temperatures are contributing to the heightened activity in the region.
