(San Juan, Puerto Rico) Forecasters issued a tropical storm warning for several islands in the northeastern Caribbean on Monday as a disturbance approaches the region.
The warning was in effect for Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin, Saint Barthélemy and Sint Maarten.
A tropical storm watch has been issued for Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the disturbance is expected to become a tropical depression later Monday, then strengthen into a tropical storm as it approaches the northeastern Caribbean. It is then expected to become a hurricane early Thursday as it turns north toward Bermuda.
The disruption should become Ernestothe fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
Meteorologists have warned that the system is expected to trigger flooding and landslides.
French Caribbean authorities said the disturbance was expected to flood Guadeloupe on Monday and pass near St. Barthelemy and St. Martin.
The National Hurricane Center said the storm was expected to approach Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands Tuesday evening.
The disturbance is located approximately 845 kilometres east-southeast of Antigua. It has maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h and is moving west at 43 km/h.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year due to record-breaking ocean temperatures. It has forecast 17 to 25 named storms, with four to seven major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher.