Tropical Storm Ernesto has strengthened to hurricane strength as it moves towards Canada, and remnants of the storm are expected to bring severe weather to the UK later this week.
The hurricane is moving northeast across the Atlantic Ocean with maximum winds of 75 mph and is currently a Category 1 storm.
Ernesto had weakened after leaving Bermuda, but is now once again unleashing powerful swells and dangerous rip currents along the US East Coast, already claiming one life and requiring multiple rescues.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami predicts Ernesto will continue to strengthen and weaken to a subtropical depression by Tuesday.
The Met Office has warned that “remnants” of Hurricane Ernesto will batter parts of the UK this week, bringing up to 150mm of rain and wind gusts of up to 60mph, with multiple warnings in place.
“The tropical cyclone is very warm and humid so remnants of that warmth and moisture will remain with the weather system on Wednesday and Thursday, bringing more rainfall,” Met Office forecaster Craig Snell said.
The storm is currently located about 520 miles south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and is expected to pass near southeastern Newfoundland Monday night into Tuesday.
Swells generated by Ernesto are affecting areas from the Bahamas to Canada’s Atlantic coast, with life-threatening rough seas and low tides expected to continue for the next few days.
The National Weather Service issued flood watches for the Atlantic coast, warning that rip currents “can sweep even expert swimmers away from shore into deep water,” and areas from Florida to Maine, including major cities like Boston, were on high alert for the potential danger.
Mike Lee, a meteorologist in Mount Holly, New Jersey, told The Associated Press that rip currents may become more likely and more frequent during high-danger periods, posing dangers to swimmers of all levels, not just those with less experience. “It’s going to be really dangerous to be out in the water today,” he said.
In New Jersey, a fisherman was swept off a pier in Manasquan Inlet but was quickly rescued by lifeguards, while in Ventnor, lifeguards rescued eight people from dangerous waters.
A 41-year-old man drowned in a rip current in Surf City, North Carolina, and two men drowned in separate incidents on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, but it is unclear whether rip currents were involved.
Beyond Ernesto’s direct impacts, heavy rains caused widespread flooding in parts of western Connecticut, leading to road closures, water rescues and minor landslides.
In Oxford, Connecticut, floodwaters swept two people into the Little River, but high water levels delayed rescue efforts.
Video posted online showed severe flooding in Oxford, with several buildings being swept away downstream.
Emergency crews were dispatched to Southbury and Danbury, Connecticut, to respond to flood damage, including evacuating homes due to landslides.
Flood warnings have been issued for parts of Connecticut and southeastern New York, and watches and warnings have been issued for Delaware, New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania.
Raging waves caused by Ernesto have already destroyed deserted beach houses along North Carolina’s Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Local authorities have urged residents to avoid the coast in the village of Rodanthe, where “extensive damage” has been reported, with work to clear debris expected to continue for several days.
In Long Island, New York, the village of East Hampton closed its beaches to beachgoers over the weekend after high tides pushed water up the base of sand dunes.
The annual fireworks display, which attracts thousands of spectators, was cancelled due to the dangerous conditions.
“It was quite a sight to see the water coming up so close to the parking lot,” East Hampton Village Mayor Jerry Larsen said, noting the storm’s power despite being hundreds of miles offshore.
Ernesto weakened to a tropical storm after battering Bermuda with heavy rain and strong winds and leaving residents without power.
Bermuda’s Minister of Security, Michael Weeks, confirmed there were no major incidents or injuries on the island. Power restoration is ongoing, with more than 70 per cent of Bermuda’s customers having power as of Sunday.
Ernesto has previously caused widespread disruption in the Caribbean, particularly in Puerto Rico, leaving tens of thousands of people without water.
Power has been restored to most residents, but more than 61,000 customers were still without power as of Sunday. Public schools in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands that were closed because of the storm are scheduled to resume classes on Monday.
