Tropical Storm Ernesto Churns In Atlantic: What It Means For FL

FLORIDA — As Tropical Storm Ernesto continues to move through the Atlantic, it’s expected to bring heavy rains and flash flooding to the Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico late Tuesday through Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Tropical storm warnings are in place for the entire area.

Ernesto, the fifth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, formed a week after Hurricane Debby dumped historic rains across Florida and up the U.S. East Coast.

Floridians eyeing the storm don’t have much to worry about, forecasters said, but Ernesto may boost wave heights and surf at Central Florida beaches. Wave heights over the weekend have the potential to be anywhere from four to eight feet, WESH TV reported. Rip current risks could be elevated because of Ernesto.

“A turn to the North will keep the storm well to the east of the U.S. mainland,” Denis Phillips, chief meteorologist for ABC Action News, wrote in a Facebook postvTuesday night.

Matt Devitt, meteorologist for WINK, wrote in a post, “Outside of greater surf and rip currents to the Florida east coast, no direct impacts are expected for our state thankfully.”

There's a hazardous weather outlook in place for parts of south Florida and the state’s east coast, calling for excessive heat and strong thunderstorms that could bring heavy rains to communities.

Forecasters are keeping an eye on how Ernesto might affect Bermuda. It could become “a borderline major hurricane” by late Friday, Devitt said.

Still, the storm will move away from Florida, either curving out to see or making landfall in eastern Canada, he said.

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

• Tuesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 106. West wind 3 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
• Tuesday Night: Isolated showers and thunderstorms before 7 p.m. Mostly clear, with a low around 78. West northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 10 percent.
• Wednesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 95. Heat index values as high as 108. Calm wind becoming west 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
• Wednesday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms before 8 p.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 77. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
• Thursday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming north around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent.
• Thursday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms before 8 p.m. Mostly clear, with a low around 75. East northeast wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
• Friday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Sunny, with a high near 92. East northeast wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
• Friday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms before 8 p.m. Mostly clear, with a low around 73. East wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
• Saturday: Isolated showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Sunny, with a high near 93. East northeast wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.
• Saturday Night: Isolated showers and thunderstorms before 8 p.m. Mostly clear, with a low around 75. Chance of precipitation is 10 percent.
• Sunday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 93. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.