Hurricane Ernesto weakens, but still dangerous, as it closes in on Bermuda
By Jasmine Patterson and Nicola Muirhead
BERMUDA, Aug 17 (Reuters) -Hurricane Ernesto was weakening as it closed in on Bermuda early on Saturday, downgraded to a Category 1 storm but still threatening the British island territory with powerful winds, a dangerous storm surge and potentially deadly flooding.
The storm was slowly making its way toward the Atlantic archipelago, its center due to pass near or over Bermuda on Saturday morning, with the worst of the storm surge and flash flood potential expected later in the day, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
As of 11 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time on Friday (0300 GMT on Saturday), the eye of the storm was 65 miles (105 km) south-southwest of Bermuda, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
Rainbands from the storm began dousing the island territory on Friday afternoon. Its slow speed - moving north-northeast at 13 mph (20 kph) - and large size means Bermuda could experience a lengthy pummeling on Saturday night, the hurricane center said.
It produced maximum sustained winds of up to 90 mph (150 kph), putting it at the high end of Category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale - still packing very dangerous winds that will produce some damage, the hurricane center said.
On Friday it had been classified as a Category 2 storm, with extremely dangerous winds capable of extensive damage. While it may continue to weaken for the next day or so, it is forecast to strengthen again over the Gulf Stream, the hurricane center said.
Rainfall on Bermuda was forecast at up to 9 inches (225 mm), the hurricane center said.
"Folks, be under no illusion. This storm is the real deal," said Michael Weeks, Bermuda's national security minister, at a press conference on Friday.
Weeks said emergency responders would be posted at strategic areas in Bermuda, a collection of 181 small islands clustered more than 600 miles (970 km) off the South Carolina coast.
By Friday afternoon, Ernesto's winds had knocked out power for 5,400 of Bermuda's 36,000 customers, the power utility BELCO said. The company said it had called its repair crews back from the field because it was too dangerous to work.
Swells generated by Ernesto were already affecting parts of Bermuda, the Bahamas, and the east coast of the United States, the hurricane center said.
In New York, the city parks and the National Park Service announced that all beaches in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens would be closed to swimmers on Saturday and Sunday with the National Weather Service predicting dangerous rip currents and swells of up to 6 feet (2 meters), the mayor's office said.
Where Hurricane Ernesto is expected to hit https://reut.rs/3SRzWbN
Reporting by Jasmine Patterson and Nicola Muirhead in Bermuda; Additional reporting by Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California; Editing by William Mallard
Pinakabagong Balita
Disclaimer: Ang mga kabilang sa XM Group ay nagbibigay lang ng serbisyo sa pagpapatupad at pag-access sa aming Online Trading Facility, kung saan pinapahintulutan nito ang pagtingin at/o paggamit sa nilalaman na makikita sa website o sa pamamagitan nito, at walang layuning palitan o palawigin ito, at hindi din ito papalitan o papalawigin. Ang naturang pag-access at paggamit ay palaging alinsunod sa: (i) Mga Tuntunin at Kundisyon; (ii) Mga Babala sa Risk; at (iii) Kabuuang Disclaimer. Kaya naman ang naturang nilalaman ay ituturing na pangkalahatang impormasyon lamang. Mangyaring isaalang-alang na ang mga nilalaman ng aming Online Trading Facility ay hindi paglikom, o alok, para magsagawa ng anumang transaksyon sa mga pinansyal na market. Ang pag-trade sa alinmang pinansyal na market ay nagtataglay ng mataas na lebel ng risk sa iyong kapital.
Lahat ng materyales na nakalathala sa aming Online Trading Facility ay nakalaan para sa layuning edukasyonal/pang-impormasyon lamang at hindi naglalaman – at hindi dapat ituring bilang naglalaman – ng payo at rekomendasyon na pangpinansyal, tungkol sa buwis sa pag-i-invest, o pang-trade, o tala ng aming presyo sa pag-trade, o alok para sa, o paglikom ng, transaksyon sa alinmang pinansyal na instrument o hindi ginustong pinansyal na promosyon.
Sa anumang nilalaman na galing sa ikatlong partido, pati na ang mga nilalaman na inihanda ng XM, ang mga naturang opinyon, balita, pananaliksik, pag-analisa, presyo, ibang impormasyon o link sa ibang mga site na makikita sa website na ito ay ibibigay tulad ng nandoon, bilang pangkalahatang komentaryo sa market at hindi ito nagtataglay ng payo sa pag-i-invest. Kung ang alinmang nilalaman nito ay itinuring bilang pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, kailangan mong isaalang-alang at tanggapin na hindi ito inilaan at inihanda alinsunod sa mga legal na pangangailangan na idinisenyo para maisulong ang pagsasarili ng pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, at dahil dito ituturing ito na komunikasyon sa marketing sa ilalim ng mga kaugnay na batas at regulasyon. Mangyaring siguruhin na nabasa at naintindihan mo ang aming Notipikasyon sa Hindi Independyenteng Pananaliksik sa Pag-i-invest at Babala sa Risk na may kinalaman sa impormasyong nakalagay sa itaas, na maa-access dito.
