At 1100 AM AST (1500 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Ernesto was located near latitude 16.9 North, longitude 62.6 West. Ernesto is moving toward the west-northwest near 18 mph (30 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue through tonight. A motion toward the northwest and then north at a slower forward speed is expected on Wednesday and Thursday.
On the forecast track, the center of Ernesto should pass near or over the Virgin Islands this evening, and then pass just to the northeast and north of Puerto Rico tonight and on Wednesday. Ernesto should then move over the western Atlantic later in the week.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 50 mph (85 km/h) with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is forecast, and Ernesto is expected to become a hurricane by early Wednesday.
