Hurricane Ernesto Approaches Bermuda as a Category 2 Storm

 

Hurricane Ernesto, now a Category 2 storm, is rapidly approaching Bermuda, posing significant threats to the British island territory with strong winds, dangerous storm surges, and potential flooding.

As of 8 PM Atlantic Standard Time (0000 GMT on Saturday), Ernesto was centered approximately 95 miles (150 km) south-southwest of the archipelago, producing sustained winds of up to 100 mph (155 km/h) and the potential to deliver up to 9 inches (230 mm) of rain, according to the US National Hurricane Center.

The eye of Ernesto is forecasted to pass near or over Bermuda on Saturday morning, setting the stage for storm surges and flash flooding by the afternoon.

"Folks, be under no illusion. This storm is the real deal," Michael Weeks, Bermuda’s national security minister, warned at a Friday press conference.

Weeks urged Bermudians to prepare for up to 36 hours of hurricane- and tropical storm-force winds starting Friday afternoon.

The hurricane has already caused power outages for 5,400 of Bermuda’s 36,000 customers, according to the power utility Belco. The company reported that it had to recall its repair crews from the field due to unsafe working conditions.

Warren Darrell, a resident of Smith’s Parish, shared that he had stocked up on groceries, secured his property, and removed outdoor furniture in preparation for Ernesto's impact. "I’m ready to play games with my daughters and wait," he said. "I’m a bit worried, but I think we’ll overcome. I think we’ll be fine."

By noon, winds, torrential rains, and rip currents had already started to intensify at John Smith’s Bay on Bermuda’s Main Island. The government announced plans to close the causeway bridge linking the main island to St. George’s Island on Friday night. Tourists and locals were seen on the south shore, with one person even windsurfing as the waves grew larger.

Bermuda, consisting of 181 small islands located more than 600 miles (965 km) off the Carolina coast, is expected to endure hurricane conditions until Sunday, according to National Hurricane Center director Michael Brennan.

Historically, fewer than a dozen hurricanes have made direct landfall on Bermuda since records began in the 1850s.

Earlier this week, Ernesto passed by Puerto Rico as a tropical storm, causing heavy rainfall and power outages for about half of the island’s 1.5 million customers. As of Friday morning, approximately 250,000 homes and businesses were still without power, according to Luma Energy, Puerto Rico’s main electricity distributor.

Puerto Rico's power grid is notoriously fragile, often experiencing prolonged outages during severe weather, much like those seen with Ernesto.

Ernesto marks the fifth named storm of what is predicted to be an intense Atlantic hurricane season. Just last week, slow-moving Hurricane Debby struck Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 1 storm, bringing up to 2 feet of rain to parts of the Carolinas.