Florida emergency manager Kevin Guthrie talks about hurricane insurance
If you’re having trouble paying for your hurricane insurance and don’t have a mortgage, comprehensive home insurance is an option. Renters insurance is also a must.
The National Hurricane Center named it Tropical Storm Ernesto at 5 p.m. Monday. The storm is located east of the Lesser Antilles and is expected to hit areas of the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico by mid-week with sustained winds of 50 to 60 mph before developing into a Category 2 hurricane out at sea.
The storm was moving west-northwest at 28 mph late Monday, August 12, and a tropical storm warning was in effect for the islands from Guadeloupe to Puerto Rico, including the U.S. Virgin Islands and Vieques.
A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere in the warning area within 36 hours. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the warning area, generally within 48 hours.
According to the 5 p.m. NHC warning, the system had sustained winds of 40 mph and was located about 295 miles east-southeast of Antigua.
The storm is expected to drift northward on Wednesday as it reaches an escape route created by a low pressure system moving across the United States.
According to the official forecast, Ernesto would reach hurricane strength north of Puerto Rico and become a Category 2 hurricane with 177 km/h winds within five days as it approaches Bermuda on Saturday.
More: Colorado State University changes forecast for 2024 hurricane season in latest update
“Sea temperatures across the Atlantic basin remain near record levels, lagging only behind 2023 levels,” said Alex DaSilva, meteorologist and lead hurricane expert at AccuWeather, in an article published online early Monday.
“Factors such as near-record ocean heat content can contribute significantly to the rapid intensification of hurricanes. Both Hurricane Beryl this year and Hurricane Ian in 2022 benefited from very high sea surface temperatures and high ocean heat content, which subsequently allowed these storms to intensify rapidly.”
After Ernesto, the next names on the hurricane list are Francine, Gordon and Helene.
Be Prepared – Hurricane Guide 2024:
Kimberly Miller is a journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate and the environmental impact of growth in South Florida. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to [email protected]. Support our local journalism and subscribe today.
