TS Ernesto Forms East of Caribbean

by Circles Robinson

The projected path of Tropical Storm Ernesto from the Cuban Weather Forecast Center (INSMET)

HAVANA TIMES — Tropical Storm Ernesto was born on Thursday afternoon under 300 miles east of St. Lucia in the southeastern Caribbean Islands.

The weather system packs 50 mph winds and is moving swiftly west at 21 mph.

The eye of TS Ernesto is currently expected to travel in the center of the Caribbean, passing relatively close to Jamaica and south of Cuba, en route to the Gulf of Mexico, shows the INSMET graphic.

At 6:00 p.m. Cuban time (EDT), the Cuban Weather Service, INSMET, reported the center of Ernesto at 290 miles east of St. Lucia. It has a minimum central pressure of 1006 hectoPascal.

INSMET expects Ernesto, the fifth tropical storm of the season, to continue on a western course during the next 24 to 48 hours, maintaining its movement speed and gaining some in intensity.

Ernesto should be approaching the Windward Islands early Friday.