Hurricane Ernesto’s track shifts south of Nova Scotia

CITYnews halifax / By Dan Ahlstrand

The latest track of Hurricane Ernesto has the massive storm passing south of Nova Scotia as in moves through the Atlantic Ocean.

In a statement issued by the Canadian Hurricane Centre in Dartmouth Wednesday night, forecasters say they are closely watching the progression of the 5^th named storm of this year’s hurricane season.

The CHC said the storm will continue its northward push towards Bermuda today and will arrive over that island on Saturday.  Before arriving in Bermuda, the storm is expected to intensify to a category 3 level, generating large ocean swells.  Those swells are expected to begin arriving on the coastline of Nova Scotia on Saturday and will create dangerous surf and rip currents by Sunday.

As for the storm itself, the CHC said that the storm is expected to track south of Nova Scotia as it heads northeastward after passing over Bermuda.  Forecasters said Wednesday night that it was “still too early to know if any of the storm’s circulation reaches Nova Scotia.”

The CHC did say in the statement that Ernesto influencing weather over Newfoundland and Labrador is a “slightly greater” possibility.

Forecasters say they plan to issue another update on the storm’s progression Thursday afternoon.

Ernesto is the 5^th named storm of the season, and Colorado State University has said that since 1966, only 4 other years have had three or more hurricanes by mid-August.

The CHC had predicted that this Atlantic hurricane season would be busy with as many as 17-25 named storms.