Ernesto regains hurricane status, bringing life-threatening surf and rip currents for East Coast
Ernesto strengthened early Monday after reclaiming hurricane status over the weekend and produced life-threatening surf and rip currents for much of the East Coast.
Ernesto strengthened early Monday after reclaiming hurricane status over the weekend and produced life-threatening surf and rip currents for much of the East Coast.
While the hurricane grew stronger in the past hours, generating maximum sustained winds of 85 mph, the National Hurricane Center said Ernesto's cloud pattern suggested it had stopped strengthening.
Ernesto was spinning about 340 miles south-east of Halifax, Canada, according to the National Hurricane Center. It was moving north-northeast much faster than in recent days, at 21 mph, the center said in its 5 a.m. ET update.
“A turn toward the northeast and east-northeast with an increase in forward speed is expected today and Tuesday,” the NHC said in its advisory on the storm. The storm will retain its strength on Monday and is expected to weaken later in the night, the hurricane center added.
The hurricane was downgraded to a tropical storm Saturday night as its maximum sustained winds, estimated at 70 mph, didn't reach hurricane strength. But it regained strength Sunday, generating maximum sustained winds of 80 mph, above the Category 1 hurricane threshold of 74 mph.
Rating: 5