Janice R. Andrews
Ernesto has once again strengthened into a hurricane as it moves more into the Atlantic Ocean and away from the northern Caribbean after momentarily becoming a tropical storm. Meteorologists say that this increased vigor is now causing strong seas to approach the U.S. East Coast, resulting in “dangerous beach conditions.” Through Monday night, the National Weather Service has issued a coastal flood advisory and alerted people to the high danger of rip currents throughout the Atlantic Coast, which stretches from Florida to Maine. Beachgoers might be seriously in risk as these circumstances have the potential to wash even the most experienced swimmers into deeper seas.
Public Warnings and Coastal Effects
Because to Hurricane Ernesto’s powerful swells, meteorologist Mike Lee of the meteorological service office in Mount Holly, New Jersey, highlighted the increased threats along the eastern shore. “It’s going to be really dangerous out in the water today,” Lee said. Anyone near the water is advised to exercise caution, since the advice covers areas of Maine and stretches from Florida up to Boston.
Over the weekend, lifeguards in New Jersey had a lot of work to do saving many victims of rip currents. A fisherman washed ashore in Manasquan Inlet after being swept off the north jetty. Neighboring lifeguards promptly rescued him and took him to the hospital for treatment. Regretfully, not every situation ended up thus lucky. A 41-year-old man perished in a rip current near Surf City, North Carolina, on Saturday, underscoring the lethal nature of these coastal hazards.
On Friday, two men from South Carolina drowned on Hilton Head Island in two different instances. Even while it’s still unclear if these deaths had anything to do with Ernesto’s surges, they highlight how dangerous the coast is. Ernesto’s high waves on North Carolina’s Outer Banks forced an abandoned beach home near Cape Hatteras National Seashore to collapse.
Flash Flood Hazards and Alerts
Ernesto continues to affect the weather in the northeastern United States as it travels away from the Caribbean. Flash flood watches and advisories were issued for portions of Delaware, New Jersey, and southeast Pennsylvania, while flash flood warnings were issued for portions of Connecticut and southeast New York. Since Ernesto’s effects are still being felt, some areas may get a lot of rain, which might lead to isolated floods.
As it moves northeastern into the Atlantic, the weaker Ernesto is predicted to strengthen again into a hurricane, continuing to pose a threat to the East Coast.
The Effects of Ernesto on Bermuda
Ernesto made landfall in Bermuda early on Saturday morning as a Category 1 storm, prior to its reintensification. The little island in the North Atlantic had severe damage from the hurricane, which left people without electricity and dumped several inches of rain. Ernesto toppled trees and seriously disrupted life on the island as people cowered below.
By lunchtime on Sunday, more than 12,200 customers—roughly 34% of the island’s population—had lost power, according to Belco, Bermuda’s main electricity company. There have been no indications of significant damage to Bermuda’s infrastructure despite the widespread outages. As the storm moved through and the island gradually returned to normalcy, businesses started to reopen on Sunday morning, according to Lyndon Raynor of Bermuda’s Disaster Risk Reduction Mitigation Team.
People hurried to get ready in the hours before Ernesto made ashore. Grocery shops were crowded with shoppers stockpiling necessities, while hardware stores experienced a surge in demand for generators, flashlights, and other emergency goods. Bermuda native Lorenzo Cooke underlined the value of community during these kinds of occasions. He remarked, “Obviously, a neighbor is a helping hand at all times,” emphasizing the islanders’ fortitude and readiness.
Ernesto’s Journey and Beginnings
Days after Tropical Storm, Ernesto set off on his voyage. Debby had traveled the East Coast of the United States, wreaking havoc in her wake. Ernesto’s journey has been difficult, much like Debby’s. Ernesto was a tropical storm that moved north of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands earlier this week, but it was still powerful enough to create major disruptions. At the height of the hurricane, nearly 750,000 Puerto Ricans lost electricity, and 23 hospitals had to rely on generators. Authorities were forced to open the floodgates of a dam along the La Plata River when rivers surged dangerously, roads were blocked, and schools were shuttered.
Nearly all consumers in the U.S. Virgin Islands had power outages at one point. Although there were only around 7,000 outages by Saturday AM, the storm’s effects were still being felt throughout the area. In light of Puerto Rico’s past experiences with catastrophic storms like Maria in 2017, which wreaked havoc across the island, Ernesto’s consequences were especially concerning.
President Biden authorized FEMA to help with recovery operations after approving an emergency declaration for Puerto Rico in response to the effects of Hurricane Ernesto. Even while the storm’s devastation wasn’t as bad as Maria’s, it has nonetheless raised questions about the island’s infrastructure and readiness for storms in the future.
The Bigger Picture: Hurricane Ernesto in 2024
The sixth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season 2024—which is already shaping up to be historic—is Ernesto. Because of above-average water temperatures, Hurricane Beryl already broke records in the Gulf of Mexico as a Category 1 storm. With 17 to 25 named storms, 8 to 13 hurricanes, and 4 to 7 significant hurricanes anticipated, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecast an above-normal hurricane season.
Since the season’s fifth named storm generally doesn’t develop until late August, Ernesto’s early arrival serves as yet another sign of an exceptionally active season. Forecasters and emergency management teams along the Atlantic Coast are on high alert as Ernesto continues to travel northeast, prepared to react to any new developments.
Final Thoughts
Ernesto’s reputation as a destructive and disruptive storm endures as it regains hurricane intensity and travels into the Atlantic. The storm’s aftermath includes flash floods, hazardous rip currents, and power disruptions that stretch from the Caribbean to the East Coast of the United States. Ernesto serves as a reminder of the unpredictable and frequently destructive character of these storms, particularly while the 2024 hurricane season is still early in the season. As the hurricane season advances, locals in vulnerable regions are advised to be aware, pay attention to warnings, and get ready for the prospect of more disruptions.
