Tropical Storm Ernesto is expected to affect travel across the Caribbean this week as it strengthens and may become a hurricane by Thursday, August 15.
The tropical storm is currently located about 35 miles northwest of Guadeloupe and 300 miles east-southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to the National Hurricane Center. It is currently moving at 18 mph and has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph.
As of 8 a.m. ET, tropical storm warnings were in effect for St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Guadeloupe, St. Martin/Sint Maarten, St. Barthelemy, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Vieques, and Culebra.
The islands are expected to reach tropical storm conditions within the next 36 hours. Wind gusts of 56 mph were recorded in St. Barthélemy, and 50 mph were recorded in St. Martin early this morning.
The Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico are expected to be affected by the storm today, August 13. The Leeward Islands and Virgin Islands are expected to get 4 to 6 inches of rain, and Puerto Rico is expected to get 3 to 6 inches of rain. Up to 10 inches is possible.
A storm surge of one to three feet is also expected in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Culebra, Vieques, and the British Virgin Islands. Strong swells are affecting the Leeward Islands and Virgin Islands and are expected to affect Puerto Rico later today. The swells are also expected to affect the Dominican Republic tonight, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas on Wednesday, and Bermuda on Thursday.
Ernesto’s impact on air travel
Ernesto is affecting air travel between Caribbean islands.
Delta Air Lines has issued a notice that flights to and from Punta Cana, San Juan, St. Maarten and St. Thomas may be affected by Tropical Storm Ernesto from Aug. 12 through Aug. 15. The airline is giving travelers the opportunity to rebook their flights through Aug. 18.
According to Flight Aware, Puerto Rico’s Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport reported 13 cancellations and 14 delays as a destination airport this morning, and 14 cancellations and six delays as a departure airport. These numbers are expected to increase as the storm continues to approach Puerto Rico.
Ernesto impacts cruise travel
Many of the destinations in the tropical storm’s path are popular cruise ports, and cruise lines are taking precautions to protect passengers in the path.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Fleet Operations Center in Miami released a statement this morning regarding two of the company’s ships: Carnival Pride’s Bermuda voyage will arrive in Bermuda on August 13, one day earlier than scheduled, and depart on August 15. Carnival Magic’s Eastern Caribbean voyage will cancel its call in San Juan, Puerto Rico on August 14 and will instead visit Nassau, Bahamas on August 16.
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