Hurricane Ernesto was situated in the North Atlantic, several hundred miles away from the U.S. on Monday, yet it continues to create hazardous swells and rip current situations along the entire Eastern Seaboard as it heads toward Newfoundland.

The National Hurricane Center cautioned that “beachgoers should remain alert to the significant risk of dangerous surf and rip currents, and should avoid swimming if lifeguards recommend staying out of the water.” These perilous conditions are expected to decrease later in the week.

Authorities attributed the deaths of three individuals over the weekend to Ernesto, which regained hurricane status on Sunday after affecting Bermuda. Two men drowned off Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, while a swimmer was found unresponsive in Surf City, North Carolina on Saturday.

Numerous rescues were executed at North Carolina beaches over the weekend due to rip currents, and at least one house collapsed and was overtaken by hefty waves.

On Monday, Ernesto was reported to be 340 miles south-southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and 580 miles southwest of Cape Race, Newfoundland, according to the hurricane center’s update at 5 a.m. The storm, classified as Category 1, is moving quickly to the north-northeast at 21 mph with sustained winds of 85 mph.

The forecast indicates that the storm will brush against Newfoundland on Monday night and Tuesday before swiftly crossing the Atlantic to hit the British Isles by Wednesday night, as stated by the hurricane service and AccuWeather.

On Saturday, the storm caused widespread power outages in Bermuda, though officials were relieved that it only reached Category 1 status when it approached the area. While there were uprooted trees and scattered debris, significant damage or injuries were not reported.

Southeastern Newfoundland is at risk

Ernesto’s most hazardous conditions primarily involve surf and rip currents, but it is also expected to bring rain, strong winds, and high waves to southeastern Newfoundland as soon as Monday night.

“The potential for coastal flooding exists due to large breaking waves, especially along southwest-facing shorelines from Burin to Avalon regions,” the hurricane center noted.

According to AccuWeather, the southeastern part of Newfoundland, including St. John’s, may experience wind gusts ranging from 40 to 60 mph, while Cape Race could see gusts reaching up to 100 mph. There’s also an expectation of rainfall between 1 to 4 inches across the province, with localized areas possibly receiving up to 8 inches, based on AccuWeather’s predictions.

Ernesto will reach the UK after hitting southeastern Newfoundland

Following its encounter with southeastern Newfoundland, Ernesto is anticipated to accelerate across the Atlantic, bringing “significant rain and wind” to the British Isles by Wednesday, according to AccuWeather.

While Ernesto is expected to weaken, it will still be a strong tropical rain and wind storm as it moves north of London, significantly affecting cities like Dublin and Glasgow.

AccuWeather analysts mentioned that depending on how intact the storm remains while crossing the United Kingdom, parts of northwestern Europe could experience stormy weather later in the week.

“As tropical storms and hurricanes convert into wind and rainstorms, they can still result in heavy rain and strong winds that may persist for several days,” AccuWeather warned. “In certain situations, they can even generate tornadoes.”