As Hurricane Ernesto approaches Bermuda, meteorologists issue a warning on Atlantic rip currents.
August 14, 2013 (UPI) While “high risk” warnings are in effect for potentially fatal rip currents this weekend at beaches along the U.S. east coast, Hurricane Ernesto intensified on Thursday and made landfall near Bermuda.
The National Hurricane Center placed Ernesto in the north Atlantic Ocean around 550 miles southwest of Bermuda in its 2 p.m. update. Tropical storm characteristics are expected to develop over the island by Friday afternoon.
By Wednesday afternoon, the storm had intensified into a hurricane and continued to grow throughout the night, reaching a maximum sustained wind speed of 85 mph. It continued to move north at a speed of roughly 14 mph into Thursday afternoon. It is anticipated that the general motion will persist through Friday, after which there will be a slower northeastern or north-northeastward motion.
Bermuda remains under a hurricane watch. The storm does not pose a direct threat to the U.S. mainland, however, NHC warnings have been given to beachgoers along the U.S. east coast to be aware of “dangerous” and possibly deadly rip currents which can pull unsuspecting swimmers out to sea, a result of swells of water generated by Ernesto that will reach the east coast sometime Thursday and expected to continue through the weekend.
Puerto Rico started making preparations earlier in the week. According to NHC, Hurricane Maria in 2018 is predicted to have cost Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands $90 billion in damage. After Katrina and Harvey, Maria was the most expensive hurricane in American history and the most devastating to ever strike Puerto Rico. Almost all 3.4 million people on the island lost power as a result of Maria toppling all transmission lines and 80% of the utility poles on the island. The majority of municipal water supply and mobile service were also lost.
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