ORLANDO, Fla. – Ernesto strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane Wednesday, after bringing flooding rains across Puerto Rico.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Ernesto has maximum sustained winds of 75 mph and was located about 175 miles northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
It is expected to become a major hurricane in a couple of days. A hurricane is considered a major hurricane when it reaches Category 3 status.
Here is what determines each category for a hurricane:
- Category 1: 74 to 95 mph sustained winds
- Category 2: 96 to 110 mph sustained winds
- Category 3: 111 to 129 mph sustained winds
- Category 4: 130 to 156 mph sustained winds
- Category 5: 157 mph or higher sustained winds
Ernesto is expected to move over the western Atlantic later this week and near Bermuda on Saturday.
While no direct impacts are expected for the Sunshine State, rough surf and dangerous rip currents can be expected over the weekend.
“That means that anybody who goes to the beach, even if the weather is beautiful and nice, it could be dangerous (…) with those rip currents,” said Robbie Berg, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Hurricane Center.
Ernesto is the fifth named storm of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season.
Hurricane season runs through November.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: