USA Today's latest hurricane report says that storm No. 5 formed in the Atlantic Ocean on August 12 as it moved across wide waters toward the Caribbean islands.
Hurricane forecasters say much of the US mainland will not be affected by the latest storm as the US has just been hit by Hurricane No. 4 Debby.
According to the US National Hurricane Center's updated hurricane bulletin at 8:00 p.m. on August 12, Ernesto is about 370 km southeast of Antigua - one of the major islands in the Leeward Islands and 850 km southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. With sustained winds of 64 km/h, Ernesto is moving west at 45 km/h.
Current storm forecasts show that Typhoon No. 5 Ernesto will strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane as it passes through warm waters - a key factor in increasing the likelihood of a more intense 2024 typhoon season than normal.
"Ocean temperatures across the entire Atlantic basin remain near record levels," said AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva. AccuWeather forecasters point out that Ernesto is likely to strengthen into a severe hurricane with sustained winds of at least 180 km/h as it heads north past Puerto Rico over the weekend.
According to the latest storm forecast, Typhoon No. 5 Ernesto is expected to approach the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on the evening of August 13. The system is then expected to move out of Puerto Rico across the western Atlantic by midweek.
By August 15, Typhoon No. 5 could become a hurricane as it turns east and heads north into the Atlantic. Forecaster Brennan said Ernesto is expected to approach Bermuda on the morning of August 17 as a "heavy typhoon".
Ernesto is the latest storm of the season that experts predict will be very vibrant.
Last week, in an updated hurricane forecast, experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said that the likelihood of a more intense Atlantic hurricane season than usual has increased to 90%.
NOAA's updated seasonal hurricane forecast predicts 17 to 24 named storms, including 8-13 that strengthened into hurricanes this year.
So far, the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season has produced four storms, including Hurricane Beryl, the earliest Category 5 storm in Atlantic history, and the most recent, Hurricane No. 4 Debby.
