Atlantic front forming into tropical storm 'rapidly moving' west toward U.S. Virgin Islands
As parts of the East Coast were still recovering from destruction wrought by the remnants of Hurricane Debby, the next Atlantic front was developing Monday into a potential tropical storm and quickly moving west. Potential Tropical Cyclone Five was taking shape 645 miles east-southeast of Antigua and was headed west-northwest at 25 mph, the National Hurricane Center said in a 5 a.m. update.
As parts of the East Coast were still recovering from destruction wrought by the remnants of Hurricane Debby, the next Atlantic front was developing Monday into a potential tropical storm and quickly moving west.
Potential Tropical Cyclone Five was taking shape 645 miles east-southeast of Antigua and was headed west-northwest at 25 mph, the National Hurricane Center said in a 5 a.m. update. Multiple Caribbean islands, including the U.S. Virgin Islands, are in its probable path.
The potential cyclone was gaining strength rapidly enough that the hurricane center said it would most likely be a named Tropical Storm Ernesto by the end of Monday, possibly around the same time it passes east of Puerto Rico, which can expect storm surges of up to 3 feet and as much as 10 inches of rain in some areas.
If it eventually gains enough strength — 74 mph or greater sustained winds — it would be the third hurricane of the season. So far, the hurricane center has not said the front was headed for hurricane status.
The potential cyclone was producing maximum sustained winds of 30 mph Sunday night. It would take maximum sustained winds of 39 mph to graduate to tropical storm status. It would be the fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season so far, as indicated by its temporary name.
Rating: 5