CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC/AP) – Expect a moderate risk of rip currents Tuesday due to the impacts of Hurricane Ernesto heading toward Newfoundland.
As of 11 p.m. Monday, the center of Hurricane Ernesto was located near latitude 45.7 degrees north and longitude 53.1 degrees west, about 70 miles south of Cape Race, Newfoundland.
Ernesto is moving toward the north-northeast at about 35 miles per hour, and an even faster northeast or east-northeast motion is expected over the next few days. On the forecast track, the center of Ernesto is currently near its closest proximity to Newfoundland and should move into the open Atlantic on Tuesday.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 80 mph with stronger gusts. Steady to rapid weakening is forecast, and Ernesto is expected to become a post-tropical cyclone on Tuesday or Tuesday night.
Hurricane-force winds extend up to 45 miles outward from the center and tropical storm-force winds extend up to 220 miles outward. The estimated minimum central pressure is 973 mb or 28.74 inches.
There are no coast guards or warnings.
Live 5 First Alert Meteorologist Joey Sovine says there will be a moderate risk of surf rip currents along the Lowcountry coast Monday in the aftermath of the hurricane. Beachgoers can expect a slight risk through Tuesday, he said.
Ernesto triggered rip current warnings along the southeastern coast of the United States well into the weekend. The high surf risk encompassed the entire Lowcountry coast, where swimming was expected to be hazardous throughout the weekend.
It reached Bermuda early Saturday morning as a Category 1 hurricane.
Ernesto strengthened to Category 2 on Thursday evening.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year due to record-high ocean temperatures. It forecast 17 to 25 named storms, including four to seven major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher.
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