Ernesto Becomes Hurricane, Steers Away From FL: Update

Updated: Wednesday, 12:35 p.m.

FLORIDA — Hurricane Ernesto formed off the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm will bring tropical storm conditions, including strong wind gusts, heavy rainfall and flash flooding to the area.

A rare summer cold front moving into Florida will keep the hurricane away from the state this weekend, though the Sunshine State could experience strong rip currents, forecasters said.

NHC forecasters expect Ernesto to affect to affect Bermuda by late this week.

Despite heat advisories issued in parts of the state Wednesday, the cold front will move into Florida from the Northeast by the weekend, bringing with it drier conditions and cooler temperatures, forecasters said.

Much of north and Central Florida will see temperatures in the 70s Friday night through Sunday.

The Orlando area will see temperatures in the mid 90s Wednesday, while the peak heat index will hit 108 degrees, according to ClickOrlando.com.

In the Tampa Bay area, the high will be near 95 with a head index as high as 107, the National Weather Service said.

The cold front will move south into Central Florida by Friday night, bringing a low of around 73 to the Tampa Bay area, NWS said. Saturday’s low will be around 74 and 77 on Sunday. The heat index will drop into the 90s.

Though Ernesto will turn north into the Atlantic, swells caused by the storm could bring life-threatening surf and rip current conditions to the East Coast of the United States, including Florida.

Here’s the latest forecast for the Tampa Bay area from the National Weather Service:

• Wednesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 p.m. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 95. Heat index values as high as 107. Calm wind becoming west around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
• Wednesday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 7 p.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 78. North northwest wind around 5 mph becoming light and variable in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
• Thursday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 106. Northeast wind 3 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Thursday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms before 8 p.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. East northeast wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
• Friday: Isolated showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Sunny, with a high near 93. East northeast wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.
• Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 73. East wind around 6 mph.
• Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 92. East northeast wind 3 to 6 mph.
• Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 74. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
• Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming west southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
• Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 77.