"Tropical Storm Ernesto is edging closer to becoming a dangerous hurricane early Wednesday as it skirts Puerto Rico, unleashing flooding rainfall and heavy winds that could strike a sweeping blow to the island’s ailing power infrastructure.
Ernesto, the fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, was packing maximum sustained winds of 70 mph – just 4 mph short of hurricane strength – as of 5 a.m. Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory. Its center was about 85 miles northwest of San Juan early Wednesday after passing over the Virgin Islands on Tuesday.
Though its center will not pass over Puerto Rico – instead sidestepping to the northeast – the storm is still posed to dump between 8 to 10 inches of rain over the island, likely triggering dangerous flash flooding and mudslides, the hurricane center said. The heaviest rainfall is expected across the southeastern portion of the island."
Elizabeth Wolfe and Robert Shackelford report for CNN August 14, 2024.
SEE ALSO:
"Ernesto Threatens To Drench Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands" (Reuters)
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