SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — In response to forecasts indicating the arrival of Tropical Storm Ernesto, Puerto Rico has activated the National Guard and postponed the start of classes in public schools. The storm, which formed in the Atlantic Ocean on Monday, is currently positioned about 295 miles off Antigua and carries maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. It is moving west-northwest at a speed of 28 mph and is the fifth named storm of this Atlantic hurricane season.
Tropical storm warnings are currently in effect for Puerto Rico, as well as the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, and several Caribbean islands, including Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, St. Martin, St. Barts, and St. Maarten.
Officials have indicated that Guadeloupe is expected to experience heavy rainfall from the storm while Ernesto is anticipated to approach Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands by Tuesday evening. Authorities are warning of potential flooding and landslides resulting from the storm.
Nino Correa, the emergency management commissioner for Puerto Rico, emphasized the importance of remaining vigilant. “We cannot let our guard down,” he stated during a news conference. Ernesto Morales from the National Weather Service in San Juan forecasted rain accumulations between six to eight inches, possibly higher in isolated areas, alongside hurricane-strength wind gusts affecting northeast Puerto Rico on Tuesday and into early Wednesday.
Morales advised the public to remain prepared and attentive due to the unpredictable nature of the storm’s path. “This trajectory is not written in stone and will be changing,” he cautioned.
In neighboring U.S. Virgin Islands, Governor Albert Bryan Jr. also urged residents to take the storm seriously, describing it as a “practice run” to ensure preparedness for the peak of the hurricane season, which lies ahead.
Forecasters predict that Ernesto could strengthen into a hurricane by early Thursday as it changes direction toward Bermuda, with some warnings suggesting it may develop into a significant Category 3 storm. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has projected an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year, driven by exceptionally warm ocean conditions, with expectations of 17 to 25 named storms and four to seven major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher.