TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Hurricane Ernesto made landfall early Saturday morning in Bermuda, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds to the island.
The National Hurricane Center said the category 1 hurricane hit the western side of Bermuda around 3:30 a.m.
In a 5 p.m. update, the cyclone had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. Officials expect strong winds, storm surges, and life-threatening flooding into Saturday evening.
"Hurricane Ernesto continues to move away from Bermuda as conditions will improve tonight over the island," Max Defender 8 Meteorologist Eric Stone said. "Ernesto will continue to move north-northeast and produce high surf to the mid-Atlantic and northeast beaches the next couple days. Ernesto will weaken to a tropical storm and become extra tropical early next week as it moves close to St. Johns."
Ernesto is continuing on a north-northeastward track, with a possibility of re-intensification, and is expected to move near or east of Newfoundland by Monday night.
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