Tropical Storm Ernesto Batters Puerto Rico, Threatens to Become Major Hurricane

Tropical Storm Ernesto has unleashed torrential rainfall on eastern Puerto Rico, leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity in the U.S. territory. The storm is projected to intensify into a significant hurricane as it progresses towards Bermuda.

As of August 14, 2024, Ernesto was situated approximately 85 miles (135 kilometers) north-northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The storm's maximum sustained winds reached 70 mph (110 kph), moving northwest at 16 mph (26 kph). The National Hurricane Center in Miami stated that while Ernesto might already be a hurricane, radar data did not yet support an upgrade.

A hurricane watch remains in effect for the British Virgin Islands, while a tropical storm warning covers Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra, and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. Forecasters predict Ernesto will traverse open waters for the remainder of the week, making its closest approach to Bermuda on August 17, 2024.

The storm is expected to strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane in the coming days. Meteorologists warn of heavy swells along the U.S. East Coast as Ernesto moves north-northwest in the Atlantic Ocean, which covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface.

Rainfall predictions indicate 4 to 6 inches in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, and 6 to 8 inches in Puerto Rico, with isolated areas potentially receiving up to 10 inches. The U.S. Virgin Islands government reported an island-wide blackout in St. Croix, the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands. In Puerto Rico, over 300,000 customers lost power.

Luma Energy, which has managed Puerto Rico's power transmission and distribution since June 2021, stated that its priority is restoring electricity to hospitals, the island's water and sewer company, and other essential services. Puerto Rico's power grid remains vulnerable after Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm, devastated it in September 2017.

"U.S. President Joe Biden had approved his request to use emergency FEMA funds as a result of the tropical storm."

This approval is crucial for the island of 3.2 million people, where the poverty rate exceeds 40%, significantly higher than in the continental United States. Many residents cannot afford generators, relying on alternative methods during power outages.

Ernesto is the fifth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which typically runs from June 1 to November 30. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), established in 1970, has predicted an above-average season due to record warm ocean temperatures. NOAA forecasts 17 to 25 named storms, including four to seven major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

As Ernesto continues its path, residents in affected areas are urged to stay informed and follow local authorities' instructions. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), created in 1979, has warned people in both U.S. territories to prepare for extended power outages and potential storm impacts.