As Hurricane Ernesto churned in the North Atlantic − hundreds of miles from the continental U.S. − the storm on Monday was still producing dangerous swells and rip current conditions along the entire Eastern Seaboard as it approached Newfoundland.
“Beachgoers should be aware that there is a significant risk of life-threatening surf and rip currents and should stay out of the water if advised by lifeguards,” the National Hurricane Center warned, adding that the treacherous conditions are forecast to abate in the latter half of the week.
Officials blamed Ernesto, which strengthened back into a hurricane on Sunday after lashing Bermuda, for the deaths of three people over the weekend. Two men drowned off the coast of South Carolina’s Hilton Head Island, while in Surf City, North Carolina, a swimmer was found unresponsive on Saturday.
Across North Carolina beaches over the weekend, dozens of people were rescued from rip currents while at least one home collapsed and was swallowed up by the large waves.
Ernesto was located 340 miles south-southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and 580 miles southwest of Cape Race, Newfoundland, on Monday, according to the hurricane center’s 5 a.m. update. The Category 1 storm has sustained wind speeds of 85 mph and is racing north-northeast at 21 mph.
The storm is forecast to swipe Newfoundland on Monday night and Tuesday before moving quickly across the Atlantic and lashing the British Isles by Wednesday night, according to the hurricane service and AccuWeather.
On Saturday, the storm knocked out power for most residents across Bermuda, but officials expressed relief that Ernesto was only a Category 1 storm when it bore down on the territory. While trees were uprooted and debris was scattered across Bermuda, no major damages or injuries were reported.
Southeastern Newfoundland faces dangerous conditions
Ernesto’s most dangerous conditions remain the surf and rip currents, though it will bring rain, heavy winds and big waves to southeastern Newfoundland as early as Monday night.
“Large breaking waves could bring the possibility of coastal flooding, particularly along southwest-facing shorelines from Burin east to Avalon regions,” the hurricane center said.
AccuWeather forecasters said the southeast corner of Newfoundland, including St. John’s, could see wind gusts of 40-60 mph while Cape Race could receive gusts as high as 100 mph. About 1-4 inches of rain is forecast to fall across the province, and local maximum amounts of 8 inches are possible, according to AccuWeather.
Ernesto to approach the UK after lashing southeastern Newfoundland
After swiping southeastern Newfoundland, Ernesto is expected to race across the Atlantic and bring “significant rain and wind” to the British Isles by Wednesday, according to AccuWeather.
Though Ernesto is forecast to weaken, it will be a formidable tropical wind and rain storm when it begins pushing north of London, mostly impacting cities including Dublin and Glasgow.
AccuWeather forecasters said depending on how much of the storm survives the trek across the United Kingdom, parts of northwestern Europe could see stormy conditions late this week.
“As tropical storms and hurricanes transition to wind and rainstorms, they can still pack a wallop with flooding rain and damaging winds for many days,” AccuWeather said. “In some cases, they can even produce tornadoes.”
Contributing: John Bacon and Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY
