ATLANTA — Ernesto made landfall on Bermuda as a category 1 hurricane early Saturday.
It is still producing sustained winds of 85 mph, but Ernesto will steadily weaken as it moves northeast. As Atlantic waters get colder, Ernesto will become a disorganized area of storms.
This could directly impact Newfoundland in Canada by early next week.
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Steering currents look to keep Ernesto away from much of the east coast. Even hundreds of miles away from the coast, a large hurricane in the Atlantic can still churn up waves and lead to a greater rip current risk along the Atlantic beaches.
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Although hurricane season begins June 1, the tropics typically don't start to heat up until August. The statistical peak of hurricane season is September 10.
The average date that the "E" storm typically develops in the Atlantic is August 22, slightly earlier than average.
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Last week, NOAA updated its Atlantic Hurricane Outlook, reinforcing the prediction of a very active season.
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