Hurricane Ernesto tracker: Latest forecast path after storm heads for East Coast, bringing possible 'life-threatening surf' conditions

The National Hurricane Center says the storm is slowing down but warned that the U.S. could see "dangerous beach conditions" until early next week.

Kate Murphy and David Artavia
Updated ·3-min read
A man boarded up a house to protect it from the approaching Hurricane Ernesto in Warwick, Bermuda, on Friday.
A man boarded up a house to protect it from the approaching Hurricane Ernesto in Bermuda on Friday. (Mary F. Calvert/Reuters)

Hurricane Ernesto made landfall in Bermuda on Saturday as a Category 1 storm. The Weather Channel reported that as of 5 a.m. ET on Sunday morning, half of Bermuda was without power due to storm-related damage.

The National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory that Ernesto's center is now moving away from Bermuda and toward the East Coast of the United States. It's expected to bring "dangerous beach conditions" and potentially "life-threatening surf and rip current conditions" to North Carolina and South Carolina, as well as the Bahamas and Bermuda, over the next couple of days, though it's not likely to make landfall in the U.S.

By Monday night, Ernesto is expected to pass near southeastern Newfoundland, Canada, forecasters said.

A map showing the location of Hurricane Ernesto in the Atlantic Ocean.
Ernesto's location as of Sunday morning. (National Weather Service)

As of 5 a.m. ET, Ernesto was moving away from Bermuda.

  • Location: Around 690 miles south of Halifax, Nova Scotia

  • Maximum sustained winds: 70 mph

  • Present movement: North-northeast at 9 mph

Life-threatening rip currents are possible along the East Coast of the United States, particularly in North Carolina and South Carolina, as Ernesto continues to churn in the Atlantic, per the Weather Channel. Beachgoers should use extreme caution.

As of Sunday morning, lifeguards in Wrightsville Beach, N.C., reported 23 rip current rescues. Meanwhile in Tybee Island, Ga., lifeguards reported at least four mild, ongoing rip currents in the area.

According to the National Weather Service, over 630,000 people were under high surf advisory with over 10.2 million residents currently living in rip current situations.

Strong winds, flooding and rip currents are some of the main concerns for the Bahamas, Bermuda, states along the East Coast of the U.S. as well as Newfoundland, Canada.

The hurricane center advises the swells generated by Ernesto may cause "life-threatening surf and rip current conditions" in these areas. The center of Ernesto is expected to pass near southeastern Newfoundland late Monday.

Satellite video of the Atlantic Ocean, showing Hurricane Ernesto.
Satellite video of the Atlantic Ocean, showing Hurricane Ernesto.

Electricity and water have been restored to Puerto Rico in recent days, but more than 85,000 customers were still without power on Sunday morning, while around 100,000 customers were still without water, according to a Puerto Rico Emergency Portal System. President Biden has approved federal assistance requested by the governor of Puerto Rico.

Meanwhile, cruise lines like Carnival, Celebrity and Norwegian that had ships planning to travel to the northern Caribbean have reportedly adjusted their itineraries to avoid Ernesto.

The Weather Channel reported that "half of Bermuda is without power" as of 5 a.m. on Sunday morning.

Photos showing the damage caused by Ernesto's heavy rains and strong winds in Puerto Rico are starting to emerge:

The La Plata River overflows onto a road where Ernesto passed through in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, as a tropical storm on Aug. 14.
The La Plata River overflows onto a road where Ernesto passed through in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, as a tropical storm on Aug. 14. (Alejandro Granadillo/AP)
An SUV is covered with debris from a damaged house after Ernesto hit Puerto Rico.
The damage wrought by Ernesto after if hit Fajardo, Puerto Rico, on Aug. 14. (Jaydee Lee Serrano/AFP via Getty Images)
A drone view of a bridge submerged by the flooded La Plata River in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Ernesto.
A drone view shows a bridge submerged by the flooded La Plata River in the aftermath of Ernesto in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, on Aug. 14. (Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters)
A man surveys the damage to his boat after a trailer tipped over onto it.
A man surveys the damage to his boat in the aftermath of Ernesto in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, on Aug. 14. (Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters)
A bridge submerged by the flooded La Plata River is seen in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Ernesto.
A bridge submerged by the flooded La Plata River is seen in the aftermath of Ernesto, in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, on Aug. 14. (Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters)
People survey the damage to a restaurant in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Ernesto.
People survey the damage to a restaurant from Ernesto in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, on Aug. 14. (Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters)

This is an ongoing story; please refresh for the latest updates.

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