Hurricane season is underway in the Atlantic as meteorologists shared that Tropical Storm Ernesto has strengthened as it continues to batter Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
The National Hurricane Center said on Wednesday that Hurricane Ernesto is expected to become a "major hurricane" by this Friday.
Ernesto is the second storm to be named this week. Currently, the storm is a Category 1 Hurricane with sustained winds of 75 mph.
The hurricane center shared that the storm could become a "large and powerful hurricane" as it is "becoming quite a bit larger" while making its way through the Caribbean.
The storm is already impacting flights and school in the Caribbean, with air travel to Puerto Rico’s Luis Munoz Marin International Airport being canceled, along with classes on the island and US Virgin Islands.
Tropical storm warnings have been in effect for the islands since Tuesday and remain ongoing at this time. NHC Deputy Director Jamie Rhome shared during a livestream that conditions could also worsen throughout the day.
“If you’re in those areas, you need to go ahead and get prepared for a potential for hurricane conditions,” Rhome said.
The storm is expected to drop 4 to 6 inches of rain on the Virgin Islands and 6 to 8 inches on Puerto Rico when all is said and done.
Projections currently show that the storm will turn north towards Bermuda and gain strength over the Atlantic Ocean. It is not currently expected to make landfall along the East Coast of the US.