Hurricane Ernesto weakens, but still dangerous, as it closes in on Bermuda
Hurricane Ernesto was weakening as it closed in on Bermuda early on Saturday, downgraded to a Category 1 storm but still threatening the British island territory with powerful winds, a dangerous storm surge and potentially deadly flooding.
Hurricane Ernesto was weakening as it closed in on Bermuda early on Saturday, downgraded to a Category 1 storm but still threatening the British island territory with powerful winds, a dangerous storm surge and potentially deadly flooding.
The storm was slowly making its way toward the Atlantic archipelago, its center due to pass near or over Bermuda on Saturday morning, with the worst of the storm surge and flash flood potential expected later in the day, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
As of 11 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time on Friday (1100 ET on Saturday), the eye of the storm was 65 miles south-southwest of Bermuda, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
Rainbands from the storm began dousing the island territory on Friday afternoon. Its slow speed — moving north-northeast at 13 mph — and large size means Bermuda could experience a lengthy pummeling on Saturday night, the hurricane center said.
It produced maximum sustained winds of up to 90 mph, putting it at the high end of Category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson, opens new tab hurricane scale — still packing very dangerous winds that will produce some damage, the hurricane center said.
Rating: 5