..11 AM EDT AUG 13, 2024.. ..ERNESTO A BIT STRONGER.. ..SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING COULD OCCUR..

 

Well Ernesto is taking advantage of favorable upper-level environment and managed to strengthen a bit this morning.  Some additional strengthening cannot be ruled out.  

Sea Surface Temperatures are also warm enough to help Ernesto gather more steam.

Ernesto is coming loaded with precipitable water to so those in the islands can expect flash floods and deadly mudslides.

RTW

...ERNESTO A LITTLE STRONGER AS IT PASSES JUST SOUTH OF ST. KITTS AND NEVIS... ...HURRICANE WATCH ISSUED FOR THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, VIEQUES, AND CULEBRA...

11:00 AM AST Tue Aug 13 Location: 16.9°N 62.6°W Moving: WNW at 18 mph Min pressure: 1003 mb Max sustained: 50 mph

Visible satellite shows Ernesto spinning up rather nicely with fair inflow but the outflow still needs some improvement. This is probably due to the interaction with the islands and dry air to the north of the tropical cyclone.