The fifth tropical storm of this year's Atlantic hurricane season formed on Monday and was forecast to hit Puerto Rico as early as Tuesday night.
Officials in the U.S. territory prepared for the arrival of Tropical Storm Ernesto by activating the National Guard and canceling the start of classes in public schools, the Associated Press reported.
Ernesto was located about 295 miles east-southeast of Antigua around 5 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and was moving west-northwest at 28 mph.
In addition to Puerto Rico, the National Hurricane Center issued tropical storm warnings for the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, St. Martin, St. Barts and St. Maarten.
Forecasters warned that the storm was expected to unleash floods and landslides, with Ernesto Morales of National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico, telling AP that six to eight inches of rain were expected, with higher amounts in some areas.
Morales also warned residents to prepare and stay alert because Ernesto's path was "not written in stone and will be changing."
U.S. Virgin Island Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. also noted that the peak of hurricane season was yet to come and urged people to take Ernesto seriously.
"This is a practice run to make sure we're really prepared," he said.
Ernesto could strengthen into a hurricane, possibly a major Category 3 storm, by early Thursday as it turns north toward Bermuda, AP said.
The most recent named storm, Debby, was blamed for at least eight deaths after making landfall in Florida as a Category 1 hurricane last week, USA Today reported Monday.
Despite weakening, Debby caused flooding as far north as western New York, USA Today said.
