Ernesto strengthened into a hurricane early Monday as it moved further out into the Atlantic towards easternmost Canada. The storm is expected to remain offshore, causing powerful swells, dangerous surf, and rip currents along the U.S. East Coast, according to the National Hurricane Center. Meanwhile, an unrelated storm brought heavy rainfall of up to 10 inches, leading to road washouts, basement flooding, and rescues in Connecticut as reported by the National Weather Service.
Ernesto's maximum sustained winds increased to near 85 mph with higher gusts overnight, and it is forecasted to weaken and transition into a post-tropical storm by Tuesday. The storm was located about 340 miles south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was projected to pass near southeastern Newfoundland late Monday and early Tuesday, potentially causing coastal flooding in Canada.
