Tropical Storm Ernesto to Impact Travel in Caribbean

Tropical Storm Ernesto is expected to impact travel across the Caribbean this week as it gains strength and might grow into a hurricane by Thursday, August 15. 

The tropical storm, which according to the National Hurricane Center, is currently located about 35 miles northwest of Guadeloupe and about 300 miles east-southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It’s currently moving at 18 miles per hour with maximum sustained winds of 45 miles per hour. 

As of 8 a.m. ET, a tropical storm warning is in effect for the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, Guadeloupe, St. Martin/Sint Maarten, St. Barthelemy, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra. 

These islands are expected to see tropical storm conditions within 36 hours. The island of St. Barthelemy reported a wind gust of 56 mph, while St. Martin reported a gust of 50 mph early this morning.

The Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico are expected to be impacted by the storm today, August 13. The Leeward and Virgin Islands are expected to experience 4-6 inches of rain, with Puerto Rico experiencing 3-6 inches of rainfall. Maximum amounts could be as much as 10 inches. 

The U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Culebra, Vieques and the British Virgin Islands could also experience a storm surge of 1 to 3 feet. Strong swells are impacting the Leeward and Virgin islands and are expected to impact Puerto Rico later today. The swells will also impact the Dominican Republic tonight, the Turks and Caicos Islands and southeastern Bahamas on Wednesday and Bermuda on Thursday. 

Ernesto Impacting Air Travel

Ernesto is impacting air travel to and from the Caribbean. 

Delta Air Lines put out a notice that travel to and from Punta Cana, San Juan, St. Maarten and St. Thomas airports between August 12 and August 15 might be impacted by Tropical Storm Ernesto. The airline is giving travelers the opportunity to rebook their flights by August 18. 

Puerto Rico’s Luis Munoz Marin International Airport reports 13 cancellations and 14 delays this morning as a destination airport, according to Flight Aware. It’s also reporting 14 canceled flights and six delayed flights as an origin airport. This is expected to increase as the storm continues getting closer to Puerto Rico. 

Ernesto Impacting Cruise Travel

Many of the destinations within the tropical storm path are popular cruise ports, and cruise lines are taking precautions to protect passengers within the path. 

Carnival Cruise Line’s Fleet Operations Center in Miami put out a statement about two of its ships this morning: Carnival Pride’s Bermuda sailing will arrive in Bermuda on August 13 and depart August 15, one day earlier than scheduled. The Carnival Magic’s Eastern Caribbean itinerary will no longer visit San Juan, Puerto Rico on August 14, and instead visit Nassau, Bahamas on August 16. 

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