Hurricane Ernesto Weakens to Tropical Storm

Hurricane Ernesto has downgraded to a tropical storm as it moves away from Bermuda, following its early Saturday crossing over the British territory, which experienced heavy rains and strong winds. The storm forced residents to remain indoors, resulting in over 23,000 power outages. By late Saturday, Ernesto's maximum sustained winds had decreased to 70 mph (110 kph), with the storm centered approximately 140 miles northeast of Bermuda, moving north-northeast at 8 mph. The National Hurricane Center had issued warnings for strong winds, dangerous storm surges, and significant coastal flooding in Bermuda, predicting rainfall amounts between 7 to 9 inches. Due to the storm's large size and slow movement, gusts reaching hurricane force were expected to persist through Saturday night, with tropical storm-strength winds continuing into Sunday. Local officials emphasized the ongoing rough conditions. Despite the storm's impact, Bermuda's robust infrastructure, characteristic of its status as an offshore financial center, mitigated some risks associated with storm surges. Meanwhile, the hurricane center reported life-threatening surf and rip currents affecting the East Coast of the United States and Canada. In Puerto Rico, LUMA, the national power company, announced the restoration of electricity to over 1.3 million customers just 72 hours after the storm's passage. Public schools in Puerto Rico are set to resume classes on Monday, nearly a week later than originally scheduled. Ernesto marks the fifth named storm and the third hurricane of the current Atlantic hurricane season.